Summer has been very slow arriving upon these shores, but yesterday at Twickenham the sun finally shone, although for the Welsh the dark clouds of defeat continue to hover above their heads like the sword of Damocles.
60,000 converged to witness a day of rugby that also incorporated a match between the Barbarians and Fiji.
If South Africa have reached the summit of their rugby Everest with World Cup glory, then Wales are stuck at base camp wearing T-Shirts and flip-flops
At this moment, the summit is shrouded in mist as they try to find the physical requirements and the creativity to compete with the big boys.
On a muggy, airless oppressive afternoon a Springbok storm was forecast to hit Twickenham, and with Wales trailing 14-3 and down to thirteen players after just fifteen minutes, things looked ominous.
Two yellow cards to Rio Dyer and Aaron Wainwright in quick succession galvanised Wales, and to their immense credit they refused to buckle.
After half an hour, the sun broke through the clouds and immediately Dewi Lake scored a try for Wales, Costello kicked a penalty on 34 minutes and the men in red went into the break just one point adrift at 14-13.
The second half was a different story. Three South African tries gave them a 41-13 victory, the superior Springbok bench finally saw off a brave, spirited Welsh performance that lacked creativity but was full of heart.
Sadly, heart does not win international matches these days, and Wales seventh defeat in a row does not sit well with a proud rugby nation.
It is difficult to see where the next Welsh win will come from, a young inexperienced group have tasted nothing but defeat in their entire, admittedly short international career.
Wales now head to Australia for a two test series. The last time the two sides met was on 24 September 2023 at the Rugby World Cup when Eddie Jones Wallabies were thrashed 40-6 in Lyon, what Wales wouldn’t give for a victory of any margin this time around.
There are some things in life you just never want to end. That glorious summer holiday as the sun sets over the beach on your final evening under the stars, a wonderful meal when the bill arrives, or that memorable concert as your favourite band perform their last song of the evening.
Those feelings are a strange mixture of enjoyment, gratitude and sadness. Similar emotions will pervade as Rachael Burford exits the green grass of her Twickenham home for the final time on Sunday.
Burf has been a constant at Harlequins. She has been our lighthouse, a shining beacon to cling to when the rugby seas got rough. However bad things got on and off the field, you felt Rachael Burford had a metaphorical arm around your shoulder, you knew things would turn out okay.
Being the official Welsh cake provider to the Quins women’s squad, I got to see the England centre’s silky skills on a weekly basis. I also witnessed her modesty and kindness to those around her, and experienced it first hand when my parents passed away.
She straddled the bridge between old world rugby and the new order, managing to retain the old values, whilst embracing the hard edged professionalism that is an essential requirement at the top end of the game.
Rachael maybe a Red Rose legend but at Harlequins she is just one of the gang, taking and giving the banter in her own humble way
Revealed as one of the top 50 most influential rugby people In Rugby World magazine, Rachael has always set the standards on and off the field where her media skills are also superb looking supremely assured in front of the camera.
Her playing career has been nothing short of incredible. 81 England caps, four World Cups, two World Cup finals, two World Cup Sevens, a Six Nations Grand Slam, a Premiership Title and the RPA merit award in 2017 together with some bloke called Richie McCaw.
Burf’s floating passes are a thing of beauty, England World Cup winning coach Gary Street compared them to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, but for me, they have an operatic quality more akin to a Puccini aria. You know exactly what is coming, but it is still always a joy to behold.
Even award-winning Red Roses have to start somewhere, and those important roots were established at Medway RFC, which was virtually a family concern. Dad did everything from the bar to the books and the boots, whilst Rachael spent her formative years in the scarlet and gold shirt, the highlight being a season playing alongside mum Renata and sister Louise.
Everything that can be written about Rachael Burford has already been penned and in many forms and guises, but for me, it is her actions that separate her from the rest.
She has been a pioneer and pathfinder for the women’s game, quite a weight to carry when you are trying to focus on your own game. Those strong shoulders, the ones that rotate to provide a pass worthy of Beethoven or Puccini, carried that load with grace, poise, and in a light humble manner that made it appear effortless.
So the hour is upon us and it is nearly time when another one of those things in life that you never wanted to end actually does.
You can always go on another holiday, have another memorable meal or hear your favourite band on their next tour, but there will never be another Rachael Burford. We are sad, but we are also incredibly glad for what we’ve had.
Scrum halves have always been canny and shrewd characters, and the Saracens number nine Leanne Infante is no exception.
The fifty-seven capped England international has now become a financial adviser, having joined the Quilter Academy in 2023. The services she now provides off the field are as smooth and accurate as that delightful spin pass of hers from the base of the scrum.
Whether it be Scrums to Spreadsheets or Mauls to Microsoft, Red Rose number 189 manages to combine both demanding roles adroitly.
As well as catching tricky returns in her own twenty-two, she is now also more than aware of those dreaded HMRC returns, the self-assessment variety.
On the field, I wonder if the heated verbal exchanges that invariably take place as a scrum forms have now been replaced with gnarly props asking Leanne for advice about the lifetime allowance on their personal pension pots.
Six years have passed since I sat with Leanne to write a piece about her at a warm, sunny Surrey Sports Park. She had just returned to Harlequins pre-season training following a relaxing summer holiday spent cycling stages of the Tour de France, and I don’t mean freewheeling through Paris, sipping champagne. She chose the mountains of the Pyrenees, tackling three peaks in one day.
This involved a 96 kilometre ride at a vertical height of 3200 metres, cycling constantly uphill for periods of around two hours in thirty degree heat, on one of the peaks there was no shade whatsoever, and she ran out of water.
Meanwhile, the rest of us mere mortals back home could barely make it to the fridge it was so hot.
The temperatures we experienced that summer were brutal, Leanne’s relaxation techniques are not for the feint-hearted.
The opening line of that article entitled “Leanne Riley, Stand Out Scrum Half” was as true then as it is now.
“Scrum halves are a unique group of people, they have to develop the art of doing twice the work in half the time” although in Leanne’s case that has now been upgraded to three times the work in a quarter of the time.
It has been a joy and a privilege to see Leanne develop and mature, both on and off the field. Despite constantly providing her with the nutritional handicap of Welsh Cakes during those Harlequins days, it doesn’t seem to have impaired her progress in any way.
The effervescent number nine has always been the heartbeat of whichever team she is playing for, leading by example, setting the pace and tone of the attack, plus she is not afraid to give the forwards a bit of advice and gentle motivation when required.
A playing career that has spanned Saracens, Harlequins, Bristol Bears and back again to Sarries is still very much alive and kicking. However, she is well aware that post rugby playing days need to be planned for and has taken steps to build and establish a career alongside her Saracens duties.
Having achieved the CIl Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, Leanne is fully qualified and authorised by the FCA, as well as a qualified member of the Personal Finance Society. So, you are in safe hands. What else would you expect from a world-class scrum-half?
Preparing for life after rugby is difficult. It is so easy to bury your head in the sand and ignore the day of reckoning. Just as she was a trailblazer in how to transition from the amateur to professional era, she is now showing the way in how to prepare for that inevitable day when the boots are hung up. This will ensure sound financial foundations are put in place for whatever the future may hold.
Outside of rugby, one of Leanne’s passions is to assist others in making that giant leap as painless as possible with sound financial planning.
But it’s not just rugby players that need expert financial advice. With the economic uncertainty, we all find ourselves in and the constant increasing of state pension entitlement age, financial planning, income protection, and preparing for our non-sporting retirement are essential.
There are all sorts of financial minefields to negotiate these days, too many to list here, but Leanne has got them all covered. She will be happy to chat to you, whether it’s for a free initial consultation or to discuss your current situation. So get in touch and I can guarantee you will get a quality service and in a delightful friendly manner.
One member of the Infante family who does not require financial nous is Tess, a gorgeous young lady with a beautiful smile who was extremely keen to join our chat. But it turns out Tess is more interested in unregistered nutritional matters and ‘Walkies’ as you would expect from any self-respecting Staffordshire bull terrier.
Leanne Infante is one of the best scrum halves it has ever been my privilege to watch, irrespective of gender. To me and many others, it is a mystery why she has not been included in any Red Roses squads since the last Rugby World Cup, despite being available for selection.
I take you back to that chat in the Guildford sunshine six years ago and in my subsequent article, I wrote at the time;
“If there was one act that sums up Leanne, it occurred at the end of Harlequins narrow defeat to Saracens in the inaugural Tyrrells Premier Final.
Whilst everyone was visibly hurting, none more so than Leanne, it was the Quins scrum-half herself who was doing the rounds, consoling all her fellow players, coaching staff and fans alike. This spoke volumes about her not only as a team player, but perhaps more importantly as a person.
“She corralled her team mates in front of the posts for a team photo, and that one act changed the mood, all of a sudden, the banter returned, and there was laughter amidst the sadness”.
“An act unseen by most and unnoticed by others, but these are the things that make the difference between a good and a great player”.
It is clear to see that the skills, values, and teamwork Leanne displays on the field have been replicated off the field in her business role.
She may not get your spin pass up to her level, but when it comes to financial matters she’s the perfect teammate, so get in touch with her for all your financial needs.
The varying interpretations of Brunch are almost as controversial as rugby’s breakdown area. Some say it is not a Monday to Friday event.
During the week, you’re either eating breakfast (if it’s before noon) or lunch (if it’s noon or later). But there are no dissenting voices when it come to Saturday and Sunday.
Once the weekend arrives you can officially refer to your midday meal as brunch if you’re eating between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you’re eating before 11am it’s breakfast. So the 1.15pm kick off between England and France at Twickenham yesterday can legitimately be referred to as Le brunch.
On the menu at Twickenham was a tasty Grand Slam decider between the Red Roses and France
Under blue sun drenched skies with a world record 58,498 in attendance the brunch turned into a wonderful two course banquet.
The first 40 minute course was a traditional English dish as the home defence soaked up the opening 15 minutes before scoring five tries, giving themselves a 33-0 half time lead. France’ two yellow cards assisting their dominance.
It looked like it was game over for France but the second course turned out to be a mouth-watering Cordon bleu classic as they decided they were hungry after all.
Five sumptuous second half tries brought France to within one score of England as the clock hit eighty minutes, but they ran out of time and the Red Roses hung on to gain a Grand Slam and the 2023 Tik Tok Womens Six Nations title.
As rugby occasions go this was a very special one. A joyous ear splitting carnival from start to finish. An hour after the final whistle England captain Marlie Packer was still signing autographs pitch side surrounded by hundreds of thrilled sun burnt smiling faces, it was that sort of day.
Blue skies and sunshine have been a rare commodity this year, but as the Guinness Womens Six Nations entered its penultimate weekend there was finally a taste of spring in the air, albeit with a chilly northerly wind just to remind us not to get too carried away.
England faced a vastly improved Ireland in front of 48,778 excited fans, and as Sophie-Ellis Bextor sang ‘Murder on the dance floor’ the Irish whilst not contemplating homicide were certainly hoping for a giant killing against the number one team in the world.
Even Michael Flattley’s feet don’t move as fast as Ireland’s Beibhnn Parsons but she was starved of ball the entire game and it was the soft shoe shuffle of England’s Ellie Kildunne that ran Ireland ragged and helped win the day for the Red Roses. The Harlequins full back was imperious in everything she did in a wonderful performance.
It took England just six minutes to opening the scoring with a try from Abby Dow. Six more tries followed for the Red Roses in a one-sided first half.
At half time they led 38-3 and maybe it was the Sophie Ellis-Bexter song ‘Take Me Home’ that was echoing in the Irish players ears in the interval.
The second half was barely three minutes old before ‘The Chichester Express’ Jess Breach outpaced Katie Corrigan in a thirty metre run to touch down in the corner.
Things just got steadily worse for Ireland as England let rip, the Red Roses racked up fifty points in the second period and their fourteen try haul was a cavalcade of joyous movement and sublime handling.
Ireland had the scant consolation of a penalty try for their efforts.
You do wonder if and when there will be a serious Womens Six Nations challenge to the Red Roses, maybe next week in Bordeaux as they attempt yet another Grand Slam the opposition will be stiffer but at the moment they are streets ahead of anyone else in the Northern Hemisphere.
England recorded their sixth straight Six Nations title after a comprehensive win over Scotland Women at Twickenham.The rout was the biggest in England’s history, surpassing the 82-0 World Cup win over Kazakhstan last year.
The hosts took a 41-0 lead into the break after a totally dominant display.
England scored 15 tries in all, with Heather Fisher, Maggie Alphonsi, Emily Scarratt, Fran Matthews, Rochelle Clark and Danielle Waterman all getting two.
England’s women have now won all four matches in this year’s tournament and last year’s World Cup finalists are on course to clinch a fifth Grand Slam in six years.
The women ran onto the pitch immediately after their male counterparts had put a packed Twickenham through 80 minutes of tense, nervy rugby, which Grand-Slam chasing England eventually won 22-16.
For those fans who stayed behind, of which there were plenty, there was little of that tension in the day’s second international as England – much-changed from the line-up which beat France in their last outing – scored four tries in the opening 20 minutes.
Scotland, yet to record a victory in this year’s Six Nations, could not muster one attack in the first half and were constantly under the cosh as England broke tackle after tackle to score try after try.
Katherine Merchant went over in the second minute and Matthews scored her first of the evening four minutes later before captain Katy McLean put full-back Scarratt through to score underneath the posts.
McLean made sure of the conversion, her first of the evening, as England led 17-0 after 12 minutes.
In the 16th minute, Becky Essex proved unstoppable when she burst down the left to score in the corner.
Clark touched down from a yard out for a try which McLean converted, then Matthews went over before, in the dying moments of the half, the impressive Fisher scored a deserved try.
Fisher scored her second of the evening immediately after the break as she burst through from the 22-yard line to score under the posts to leave McLean with an easy conversion.
England made a host of changes, the most notable being Alphonsi for former captain Catherine Spencer, and they passed the half-century mark in the 49th minute when Scarratt scored her second of the evening, which McLean converted.
The dynamic Alphonsi was soon in the thick of it and it was the flanker’s 30m dash down field which eventually led to prop Clark’s second try.
McLean converted to extend the lead to 60-0 and the scoreboard kept ticking over as Merchant burst down her right wing, fending off would-be tacklers, and put the supporting Alphonsi clear for an easy try.
McLean was the next to cross the line and, in the 68th minute, the remarkable Alphonsi scored her second try of the evening and her 19th try in 53 internationals.
Captain McLean once again converted and two tries in quick succession by replacement Waterman, with McLean converting the latter, took England’s score to new heights.
England Women: E Scarratt (Lichfield); K Merchant (Worcester), R Burford (Richmond), K Oliver (Bristol), F Matthews (Richmond); K McLean (capt, Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), LT Mason (Wasps); R Clark (Worcester), A Garnett (Saracens), S Hemming (Bristol), R Essex (Richmond), J McGilchrist (Wasps), S Hunter (Lichfield), H Fisher (Worcester), C Spencer (Bristol).
Replacements: E Croker (Richmond), C Purdy (Wasps), R Burnfield (Richmond), M Alphonsi (Saracens), G Rozario (Lichfield), G Roberts (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), D Waterman (Worcester).
Scotland Women: Caroline Collie (Old Albanians), Katy Green (Murrayfield Wanderers), Annabel Sergeant (Dundee University), Steph Johnston (Hillhead/Jordanhill), Victoria Blakebrough (Richmond), Lisa Martin (Murrayfield Wanderers), Louise Dalgliesh (RHC Cougars); Heather Lockhart (Hillhead/Jordanhill), Lindsey Smith (Hillhead/Jordanhill), Tracy Balmer (Worcester), Anna Swan (Edinburgh University), Lindsay Wheeler (Darlington Mowden Sharks), Charlotte Veale (London Wasps), Ruth Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers), Susie Brown (Richmond).
With the Men’s 2024 Guinness Six Nations disappearing further in our rear view mirror a period of reflection inevitably follows.
To call the tournament disappointing from a Welsh point of view would be the understatement of the year, but not since the great Rugby League defection in the late 1980’s has there been such a loss of talent in such a short space of time, and when you add in the list of injuries to current key players it underlines the perfect storm the international team find themselves in.
But the biggest and saddest losses of all are those greats of the game who have passed away recently, names that will forever live in the pantheon of Welsh rugby.
It has been a tough time for everyone connected with Welsh rugby let us hope there are some happier days ahead soon.
GOODBYES
Alun Wyn Jones (Retired)
Leigh Halfpenny (Retired)
Josh Navidi (Retired)
Justin Tipuric (Retired)
Dan Biggar (Retired)
Rhys Webb (Retired)
George North (Retired)
Ken Owens (Retired)
Liam Williams (Moved to Japan)
Tomas Francis (Moved to France declared unavailable)
It is fourteen miles from Inverness to Loch Ness, a place known around the world for its mythical monster, but Nessie’s neighbour is a sporting monster, and a very real one, that is frightening the life out of everything that crosses its path.
There have been many reported sightings this season, both north and south of the border, and the conclusion is that Nessie is a lightweight compared to the Inverness version.
I am in my cryptic way referring to Scotland and Harlequins number eight Jade Konkel-Roberts who has been knocking the living daylights out of the opposition since her return from a long term shoulder injury in the latter stages of 2018.
Jade made her Scotland Women debut against England when she came on as a replacement in the opening round of 2013 Six Nations.
She became Scotland’s first full-time female player in 2016, and joined top French club Lille Metropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois in 2017.
The basketball skills honed at the top level following two seasons with the Highland Bears, are evident on the rugby field, I do not recall witnessing her drop a single ball during last season’s Premiership campaign, where she has wore the Harlequins shirt with such pride and passion.
After joining Harlequins in 2018 following shoulder surgery, she returned to international duty with only a handful of club games under her belt, and hit Canada like a guided missile,
Scotland lost on that occasion but Jade had a storming game tacking, as the great Bill McClaren once said “Like the crack of doom” and launching those “Rhino” charges from the base of the scrum as if her life depended upon it.
Jade Konkel was born on December 9 1993 in Inverness, and lived on the Black Isle an appropriately named location for any respectable monster to reside. Inverness lies on the Great Glen Fault, where there are minor earthquakes, usually unnoticed by locals, about every three years, I have a theory they nearly always occur when Jade is home doing some tackling practice, but geological confirmation is difficult to come by.
Fortunately off the field Jade is one of the most modest and friendly individuals you could wish to meet, a smile is always close to hand, and her soft highland brogue could charm the birds from the trees.
That aforementioned brogue is now delighting BBC viewers as she has become a part of their commentary team for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations tournament.
The forward combines her sporting career with her role as a Firefighter with Red Watch, based at Feltham Fire Station, which she joined in 2021.
Sadly due to the attritional nature of her game injuries have become a regular if unwelcome visitor, one that is residing with her as I write, some say she has spent more time in re-hab than Brittany Spears
The dictionary definition of Jade is ” A semi precious stone” maybe that should now be changed to “An extremely precious Scottish rugby player”, one thing we do know is that she’ll be back from injury stronger than ever as her quest to become fully bionic reaches fruition.
When the mist rolls in off the Bristol Channel on a cold winters night, the folks that inhabit “The Old Ship Aground” pub in Minehead tell tales that send chills down your spine, tales of shipwrecks and smugglers, tales of peril and tragedy in the local waters that have one of the highest tidal ranges in the world.
Inevitably as the night gets darker, and the ale gets more plentiful, the tales get taller, as indeed do the stories of local heroes who have become legends, largely through many misty ale soaked nights where the thin line between fact and fiction is breached.
One local legend is immune from such treatment, a local Barbarian whose exploits are so incredible in their own right, there is no need for embellishment, even fiction writer Arthur C Clarke, also born in Minehead, would have difficulty making these tales taller, even ale assisted.
Rugby can be a brutal and unforgiving sport but every now and then a player arrives on the scene that can raise the game above the ordinary, a player who amid the bump and grind of top-level sport, manages to make the difficult look easy, a player whose skill and execution provide a sheer beauty, grace and elegance that warms the soul, sets our pulses racing, a player that appears to have more time and space than those around them, Danielle Waterman is such a player, a red rose that could always be guaranteed to bloom, whatever the weather, whatever the soil conditions, she has graced the white shirt on eighty-two occasions.
It is impossible to calculate how many girls and women have been inspired to take up the game by watching her, but I have witnessed first hand the “Nolli Effect” around the playing fields of Europe. She is renowned for her bravery on the field, but perhaps even more noteworthy is her bravery off it, for being part of the RPA “Lift The Weight” campaign and discussing her depression candidly, typically, not for her own benefit, but through a desire to help others who may or have suffered similarly.
Danielle Waterman’s list of achievements is endless, a Rugby World Cup winner in 2014, nomination for World Player of the Year, a member of the first ever Team GB Rugby Sevens squad to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Nolli captained England A at the tender age of seventeen, and made her full England debut in 2003 whilst revising for her A levels, aged just eighteen. But in the years to come we will not be discussing the cold statistics, it will be that sidestep, that tackle, or the unique running style, and that joyous smile after scoring a try or making a last ditch tackle.
So if you ever happen to visit “The Ship Aground” on a damp misty moonlit night and you notice the locals huddled together speaking in hushed tones, they may well be telling tales of horticulture, or to be specific their favourite local Red Rose.
Sport at its simplest is an expression of joy and competition, an arena where players and fans can unite in a common cause, sharing hope despair joy and heart breaking sadness.
Sport mirrors society, and yet in many ways sport can be a catalyst for social change, to create equality in gender, sexuality and in the way we treat our fellow human beings.
Rachael Burford is a rugby player, she is a brilliant rugby player, and when you discover that she is a thoroughly lovely, friendly down to earth, and modest, individual to boot, you can see why she is hugely admired and respected by those in our game.
Women’s rugby is growing and growing, and it will be forever grateful to people like Burf for lighting the blue touch-paper, those that follow will find the path a lot smoother, thanks to Rachael and co having paved the way.
I’m not sure what magical properties lurk in depths of the River Medway in Kent, but the Garden of England has produced Red Roses by the bouquet load, along with the odd flower of Scotland.
Working tirelessly to promote foster and encourage the women’s game, the formation of the Burford Academy has given young girls a wonderful opportunity to learn and train with the greats of the game, including Danielle Waterman, Rocky Clarke and Katy Daly McClean.
But it’s not just about rugby, the attitudes and confidence gained at the academy translate into life skills, transferable into society at large, which is perhaps the greatest legacy of all.
Rachael is a Red Rose legend but at Harlequins she is just one the gang, taking and giving the banter in her own humble way
When her playing days are over, which is hopefully a long way off, I have no doubt she will become a brilliant coach, in fact she has already achieved her RFU level 2 coaching badge.
Her media skills are also superb, and she looks supremely assured in front of the camera.
Revealed as one of the top 50 most influential rugby people In Rugby World magazine, Rachael continues to set the standards on and off the field
Her playing career has been nothing short of incredible, 81 England caps, four world cups, two World Cup finals, two World Cup Sevens, a six nations grand slam and the RPA merit award in 2017 together with some bloke called Richie McCaw.
Burf’s floating passes are a thing of beauty, World Cup winning coach Gary Street compared them to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, but for me they have an operatic quality more akin to a Puccini aria you know exactly what’s coming but it is still always a joy to behold.
Burf has straddled the bridge between old world rugby and the new order, managing to retain the old values, whilst embracing the hard edged professionalism that is an essential requirement at the top end of the game.
Those so important roots were established at Medway RFC which was virtually a family concern, Dad did everything from the bar to the books and the boots, whilst Rachael spent her formative years in the scarlet and gold shirt, the highlight being a season playing alongside mum Renata and sister Louise.
Everything that can be written about Rachael Burford has already been done so, and in many forms and guises, but for me it is her actions that separate her from the rest.
She has been a pioneer and pathfinder for the women’s game, quite a weight to carry when you are trying to focus on your own game, but those strong shoulders, the ones that rotate to provide a pass worthy of Beethoven or Puccini, bear the load with grace, poise, and in a light humble manner that make it appear effortless.
Maybe the River Medway does have magical properties after all.
Mike Pearce Rugby 