So it begins. The Premiership has kicked off the 2011/12 season, and already there have been some surprises.
Was it a surprise that Leicester lost to Exeter at Fortress Welford Road? Not so much. The surprise, to me, was that we only lost by two points and managed to pick up a losing bonus point. The team didn't seem to gel and pick up the pace until the last ten minutes, and that's no way to win a match.
Even though the World Cup is hurting us more than any other Premiership side with 11 of our players out in New Zealand and other key players (Jordan Crane and Craig Newby just two), we still fielded a pretty good side with a balance of youth and experience. We had Ford and Twelvetrees, two England stars of the future as far as I'm concerned, as well as Chuter and Hamilton. Matthew Tait didn't make his first Premiership start for us today due to a groin injury, but his last minute replacement Niall Morris scored two incredible tries for the Tigers.
Yes, we're hurting, but we're not in our death throes, though I fully expect pundits to come out with all sorts of tosh about this being a sign of the season to come. I'm sure I don't want to hear Stuart Barnes' thoughts on the subject.
It was still a fantastic day at Welford Road today, and I had a chance to see two legends.
I've been wanting to meet Matt Hampson for a long time and was lucky enough to do so today. I'm afraid I went quite shy at the last minute, don't ask me why. I think I was afraid of getting choked up because he is such an inspiration. But I have "Engage" to read while I'm away on holiday (starting 14 September - the count down is on!) and I'm sure next time I will find my voice.
I'm not sure what my friends think about me, but as soon as I walked into the Final Whistle today my attention was drawn to the man leaning by the door to the mens' toilets: Martin Corry. I must explain that he was standing there chatting to people, not lurking with intent.
Martin is such a funny guy. I met him for the first time in Dublin in March this year at the Ireland Legends v England Legends match, and after my Rugby Daughter Rachel introduced me as his "biggest fan", I explained that I had met him before. He asked if he was drunk, and I responded "No, but I think I was".
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