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What do you make of all these 'warm-up' games?

I don't quite understand them. All parties will deny it but players are being injured in the lead-up to the World Cup because countries are trying to make money.

Oh it's lovely to see Cardiff, Twickenham, Brisbane or Dublin stadia filled by fans eager to watch teams, in theory, get ready to play. But the reality is that these are professional players who are ready to get on the pitch no matter when.

And as they lead up to a big event they don't need beaten up every Saturday.

And although the relevant countries have been pocketing some cash in a year where there are no autumn Tests - Wales and England must have been in collusion to get big crowds - I wonder at the balance between getting some game-hardening time on the pitch as against the likelihood of injury.

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Come on you lot: what's the strongest team Andy Robinson can pick?

There we are. and it's congratulations to everyone involved.

There is sadness in our family of course with my son not making the cut, but life teaches you hard lessons and, as I'm sure all of us think when we look back, it's actually the bits where we have to dust ourselves down and move on that help to mould us for later life.

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Why is nobody investing large sums of rugby in Scottish rugby?

Scottish rugby needs a Roman Abramovich, or even a Roddy McBramovich. Will someone please write a cheque or two?

I always wonder what I'd do if I won the Euro Millions Lottery.

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Right, what did you think of the weekend?

The first games in the phoney war are finished here in the northern hemisphere, and . And do you know what? Nobody has been that convincing. After my assertion last week that the All Blacks are invincible they looked beatable against the Wallabies.

Magic. I wish I was going to New Zealand. Does anyone have a camper van free? Ah, sadly for me, it will be watching on TV.

Let's leave the southern hemisphere teams aside - other than to marvel at Digby Ioane who can, they say, bench press 190kgs - and concentrate on the two games played in Britain.

The All Blacks, sorry and I am a real fan of Welsh rugby and their simple system. Both Wales and England look as though they are going to frighten some teams. This could be George North's tournament.

What about Ireland? Well, the game against Scotland was their first outing of five - they were under-cooked in 2007. Rob Kearney had a point to prove as did Andrew Trimble at full-back and right wing, respectively.

Denis Leamy was outstanding in the eight jersey, and, although you could argue that, with the exception of the half-backs, this was the Irish second XV, they contained Scotland.

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Before I start this I just want to put in writing my admiration for .

I suppose at moments like these, when a man in the public eye declares he knows roughly when he might die, that wanting a few extra thousand in your pay, the fight with your partner, and the search for a flasher car all look rather stupid.

I remember being at Murrayfield in 1994 when he scored two tries for South Africa and heralded that a massive talent had arrived.

Frankly, he's the kind of player I have always liked; athletic, rough, clever and skilful, and with an edge to him.

I hope he gets the kind of assistance in the rest of his life that his moments of genius deserve.

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