plod

I know about the Gewurz and curry argument but for me, expectation or not, no wine can compete with a curry. I congratulate you on persuading French people to eat the stuff though.

They must have some money! Although he is good, will he make that much difference to a relatively ordinary side? Who's going to win the Top 14 prize? I go for ST but only just. C'mon Glaawwwsss.

Maybe the Tarnais are really considerate compared to the rest of France but although stopping is not up to UK standard in Albi I rarely have to wait long.

I was talking to my wife a few days ago saying in all my years of watching kestrels I had never seen one plummet to the ground only ever hovering. Then I saw one dive but I couldn't tell if it had caught anything. A couple of days later I was driving the car when a kestrel dived on something on the side of the road. And this time I saw it fly off with its prey. I also am fascinated by these birds, I love watching the buzzards around here, they hardly ever flap their wings and on days like today they fly so high they are practically out of sight.

Part of the problem for Oz is that league is more popular than union. Not too late for a prediction. Where are the others?

Well it hasn't rained for two days here.

I don't want to watch rugby league or even a watered-down version of union. There could always be a breakaway I suppose!

I did notice that Wales got better press than England despite similar scorelines. Ireland have missed an opportunity I think. Prediction for Saturday NZ 30 England 11

Been back to Blighty where, as son has Sky, was able to watch the game. They started well but after Strettle missed that try - surely he should have scored - they seemed to fade. It is a pity Cipriani is injured, he always brings something to a game, and I don't imagine Hodgson will wear an England shirt again. Damage limitation for the second game I guess. Stephen Jones (Times) wants to bring on bigger players like Worsley and Varndell as if size was the only difference between these teams. When England beat NZ in NZ in the 70s John Watkins was flanker and he was about 5 10.

I didn't see the game - watched the highlights of Wales v. SA and thought for a side coached by Edwards and Gatland and playing a very inexperienced SA side they were poor even allowing for two dubious tries. Second matches in a series are usually closer but I doubt they can win.

Don't come to SW France - it's like November here. Yesterday the temperature didn't even get up as far as 15!

I'll have to talk to myself again I suppose; perhaps if I use my wife's log-in you'll get a bit more excited! I thought Ireland might have an outside chance of beating NZ but it wasn't to be. It will be interesting to see how England get on. I don't really fancy their chances but NZ are re-building. I'm not discussing Wales as the highlights are on S4C this evening and I don't want to know the result.

We might have to wait a year or two to see if you are right. There is, it seems to me, a nucleus of good English players about at the moment. Hartley at hooker, Wood to prop, plenty of challengers at back-row. Second-row a problem although Nick Kennedy should be given an opportunity. Good options in the back-row also. Having said that I don't expect great things in NZ. It looks as if Jerry Collins is coming to the North now.  I'm not surprised Wasps beat Leicester. They had a terrific run to get to the Final although they made a lot of their international call-ups. I think Glaws lost a lot of players too, but we still managed to top the table 21 weeks out of 22. I see we will have the top three premiership players next year - Simpson-Daniel, Barkley and Qera! Let's hope for silverware then.

I understand that there is sour grapes involved, of course. Has Ireland got any depth of players? I saw an A international against England a year or two ago and the Irish looked very poor. Is there, for instance, a fly-half coming through? A replacement for Hayes? Geordan Murphy is getting on a bit too.

You don't share Brian Smith's (I think) view that Kidney is not the right man as he has been overseeing a Munster team which plays "limited" rugby. There's a lot of sourness down here about the "pick and go" tactics of Munster, but as long as it is within the laws then there's not much you can do. It is getting more common this "running the clock down". If you've got control of the ball then I suppose, in theory, you can do it for a long time. One French correspondent says that rugby is a fight for the ball but in the case of the everlasting ruck the defending side cannot get hold of it without infringing. Views please.

I was concerned for the fate of my local club, Albi, next year with the arrival of Toulon with their bottomless pit of cash. However, as they've been demoted for "financial irregularities" the occasion will not arrive. I predicted that Munster would beat Toulouse, as I have watched the French a few times this season and knew they had weaknesses, particularly forward ones. I do think Munster were lucky to have had Nigel Owens reffing them. He reffed two of their pool games and quarter final! 

I'm not technical at all (hence the "wet" question) I talked to a friend and he suggested that it should not be too costly. Everything is in place - pipes, rads etc, all that should be needed is an electric water heater plus some pipework changes at boiler level. Or am I naive?

Try LabastiDe de Lévis!

There is a biggish Cave at Labastise de Lévis. Try the Perlé which, in my opinion, is the best white you can find round Gaillac.

If you woudn't mind Callie and Owens88 can you give me an idea of the costs you incurred. What do you mean by a "wet" system? Thanks in anticipation.

Has anybody made this conversion? How was it? What about cost?

By all accounts we should have won and all they needed to do was keep Leicester at arm's length for a couple of minutes. Ah well. It's only a game.

It's only a game.......there's always next season...............oh no!

It looked like a rat (on the bird table last night) but when I went past it leaped off the table into the bushes.

Leicester are extremely fortunate to be in the play-offs, Sale must be really disappointed to lose to Irish. I think we should beat Leicester and I fancy Bath might do Wasps. Don't you think reffing decisions even themselves out. We looked to be deprived of a try yesterday.