With a childlike vision leaping into view...

It was remarkable to watch the football (the rugby union code, bien sur) on Friday night via a telecast from Belfast. Incredibly, in its first Heineken Cup match of the season, the city club of Gloucester not only defeated the Ulster province – a whole province! – but contrived to play such bewitching sport that the bonus point for attaining four tries was obtained after approximately a mere fifteen and one half seconds, an amazing feat in this day and age. The tries came mainly from deep. The youthful Lamb pulled the strings well at ten and the behemoth Vainikolo, the young prince Simpson-Daniel, Michael ‘Mike’ Tindall and the elegant Balshaw all benefited from some thrilling passin’ and runnin’ and catchin’. To be fair, Ulster, despite being a whole province, were poor and a sterner test shall come next Friday when a star-studded Ospreys outfit visits Kingsholm Stadium. Ospreys are my tip to win the whole blessed tourney. My man of the match was the yeoman Buxton who was everywhere, putting in the tackles, carrying unselfishly into the heart of the opposition and generally contributing to a forward effort that gave the city club’s half backs an armchair ride. I salute this effort but exhort my heroes to refrain from relaxing yet. The Welsh warriors will be seeking a victory this coming Friday.