Embed from Getty ImagesTom Kiernan. Delme Thomas. Peter Brown. Stack Stevens. Jean Gachassin.
Somewhere in my heart, it is always a winter Saturday and there is a Five Nations (as it then was) international on television. England are probably losing - in those days you did not so much support them as suffer with them. And if Wales are playing Ireland, it's impossible to tell the players apart in black and white.
So I was pleased to hear that Max Wilkinson, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for culture, media and sport has launched a campaign to keep the Six Nations on terrestrial television channels. He told the Independent:
"I’m personally deeply concerned by the news that the tournament could be behind a paywall as soon as next year - and I’m sure many rugby fans up and down the country feel the same.
"It would be a travesty if the public were deprived of the right to see their countries compete. That’s why it’s essential that the government acts now to protect free-to-air coverage and save our Six Nations."
If does act, the government will be saving the rugby authorities from themselves. As cricket has learnt, if people can no longer see the sport, it is in danger of losing its standing in our national culture.
I shall watch Ireland vs England later this afternoon, though in Eddie Jones's last years England became really dull to watch.
One problem with the game is that those authorities are constantly tinkering with the laws. This year, I read, scrum halves will be given more protection.
As my pet gripe in recent years is that they are allowed to spend an age, free from challenge, rolling the ball about with a boot before they play it, I can't see how that is going to improve the game.
In truth, the game has never been the same since Bill McLaren died. Artificial Intelligence should be harnessed to bring him back, complete with his favourite phrases: "As the game enters its final quarter," "As the referee blows for no side" and "playing together for the nineteenth time in a major international."
