Brief Rugby Post

I am overjoyed to see the city club continue its fine unbeaten run and away to Leicester too. With the Tigers’ impressive home record, any points snuck away from Welford Road are welcome. Importantly not many of our rivals for the top places in the league will win or draw at the historic East Midlands venue so we have stolen a march on them albeit in a small way. All these advantages add up at the end of the season though. As ever on drawing, one feels a slight pang of regret that the lads didn’t go the whole way and bag a wondrous victory but such thoughts are a touch churlish when the Gloucester engine is running so smoothly. We’re not quite in ‘We’ve never had it so good’ territory but are certainly approaching it.

Fitter, Happier, Skankier

I won’t bore readers with the details (which involve misplaced battery chargers, eBay, newly purchased battery chargers, miraculously found old battery chargers, the sullen juxtaposition of old and new battery chargers, the expression ‘what was it doing in there?’ and a heavy sigh or two) but I had, until this week, been unable to use my gorgeous Creative MP3 player for a while. It was like missing my right arm especially as a good deal of my music exists only in downloaded format. It is back in use now and I am whole. The universe is aligned.

I love reggae and I love Radiohead so it makes sense that I should admire deeply the new album by a host of classic reggae artists (Horace Andy, Sugar Minott etc.) recording under the banner Easy Star All-Stars. They have come up with a reggae version of OK Computer called Radiodread (what else?!) and, despite reservations as I usually dislike such ‘novelties’, I reckon it’s a cracking listen. The production is superb and it is obvious that a lot of work and thought and , importantly, affection went into making it. The singing and playing are tight and uplifting throughout and all the re-examined and revamped songs benefit from such an unusual approach. The little touches render it a delight. The Augustus Pabloesque melodica that introduces Subterranean Homesick Alien is a lilting joy while the dub effects that permeate the bass-heavy Exit Music (For a Film) are reminiscent of Lee Perry or Mikey Dread. And I love the lyric towards the end of Paranoid Android where ‘Jah loves his children’ instead of God. This could become one of the surprise hits of the year in Cole-world.

I thank D for his texted updates as Gloucester soared to victory away to NEC Harlequins. His half-time reassurances did the trick and, indeed, as predicted by the fellow, Gloucester had more than enough in the locker to drag themselves back from 16-6 to vanquish comfortably. Alas, it appears that the noble – and some would say aristocratic – Alexander Brown appears to have fractured his arm and may be out until the new year. The strength in depth that was so happily lauded pre-season will now certainly be required. It is time for Will James to show what he is made of methinks.

Battles

A while away from these pages and I sense a few weeks of intermittent posting as I return to work and earn my corn. Excuse any absence but I’ll try to post at least a couple of times a week. We shall see how it goes.

A couple of events to briefly celebrate. It was pleasant to return to the Guildhall and its somewhat uncomfortable cinema seats on Thursday evening. Ken Loach’s The Wind That Shakes The Barley was a compelling hour or two, a stark and uncompromising history lesson that explored the origins of the Irish republican movement via a fictional account of two brothers united in their resolution to rid Ireland of English rule characterised by the ruthlessness of the notorious Black and Tan soldiers. More human drama follows when the Irish Free State is formed and the brothers take separate sides, one fighting on for the republican cause, one accepting the new agreement.

Less crucial battles were fought out yesterday as Gloucester hosted Bath in a gripping opening fixture that the city deserved to win but contrived to almost throw away. With numerous key players missing (Boer, Simpson-Daniel, Nieto, Tindall and Lamb) the club’s strength in depth imposed itself on a willing and competitive Bath outfit. I enjoyed a capable Gloucester performance and the second half brace of tries were certainly worth the price of admission. Jack Adams’ dancing feet and composure with the line beckoning were thrilling while the ruthlessness of the back division when finishing off a typically heroic Andrew Hazel gallop was refreshing. The captaincy of Marco Bortolami again caught the eye. His line-out work was splendid and his contributions to loose play were intelligent and welcome but I especially enjoyed his energetic geeing-up of his troops and constant appraisal of the match situation. I felt during the match that the Shed had found a new hero but his desire to lead the lads back onto the park to salute the punters went down a storm too. He might well be my new favourite player.