Please could you stop the noise, I'm trying to get some rest

I guess the combination of body clock and hot weather have ganged up on me yet again to wake me at six this morning and prevent me from returning to any semblance of slumber. Instead I reached for my Zen, folded a t-shirt and lay it over my eyes and reclined, listening to OK Computer, picking up, on my stereo headphones, previously unfathomed lyrics and unheard twiddly music bits. It was a decent start to the day really.

Yesterday I awoke at a similarly early hour but this, of course, meant that I was able to partake the Lions match against Otago in the House of Pain. Woodward, naturally, will prove conservative and pick meat and potato back rowers like Back and Hill for next weekend’s test opener but I would love to see Ryan Jones given a start after yesterday’s sublime ball carrying performance. Michael Owen too has been impressive and I also appreciate the thoughtful footballer that is Martyn Williams (despite having a deep-seated and rather prejudiced thing about the name Martin being spelt with a ‘y’). In fact, I have come over all Welsh and believe the make-up of the Test team should reflect our Celtic friends’ free spirited, confident and winning rugby football. I would chuck Shame Williams and his dancing feet on one wing, add Dwayne Peel and Stephen Jones at half back (SCW will surely pick Wilkinson though), use Gethin Jenkins’ belligerence at prop, partner O’Driscoll with Andrew Ridgeley, I mean Gavin Henson and strongly consider a berth in at least the 22 for Tom Shanklin or Gareth Thomas. I can’t see it happening though.