A polite game of rugby

A beautiful day today, sunny and warm and most pleasant for watching rugby. Unfortunately Thomas' opposition team, despite having 250 boys in a year group, could not field a complete 5th team for their U14's so they arrived with only 12 players, and therefore they did not have a back row - so Thomas, who plays 8th man, and the rest of his back row, had to sit out the first half of the match. For the second half his coach let him go on in any position of his choice. He played the second half as outside centre. If that sounds rather farcical, it became hilarious watching Thomas' coach (who was the ref) trying all sorts of ingenious ways of letting the opposition team score some points, and they were getting such a solid thumping from Thomas' team, and of course, it is not very polite or gentlemanly to destroy the opposition completely. The coach did forewarn the boys, and being good sports they did not mind. So we had Thomas running down the side of the pitch about to score when ...oops, was his toe just on the boundary line, yes it was, ok, he is out. Another boy letting an opposition team player run past him with the ball and failing to tackle him, 'was I meant to tackle, Sir?' Very polite and friendly boys....

Adam had booked movie tickets for him and his girlfriend to go see The Imitation Game, but Molly's hockey match finished so late and then she missed the train to us, so consequently they were not going to make the movie in time. But... Gavin and I took the tickets and I finally got to see this movie that I have been wanting to see for ages, and as so many others have said, it is simply brilliant. Gavin did not even fall asleep! Thanks Adam and Molly.

I hardly took any photos of the match as it was more of a giggle than anything else, but here is Thomas, during the first half when he was off the pitch, posing for his mum in front of all his team mates. Now that is a brave boy!