2. The first team had an excellent week’s training and there was a whole buzz about the place, climaxing on Saturday afternoon with a magnificent display of 15 man rugby against Worcester.  In our last two games away to Gloucester and Worcester we have scored six tries and we are beginning to gel. We have still got a long way to go but someone soon is going to get a smacking!

3. Home again! The first team have played eight games this season, three warm up games, four Guinness Premiership and one Powergen Cup.  One at home and seven away. So it is really joyful to be back at Franklin’s Gardens. Even more cheering to know our next two games are also here.

4. I always love a wedding, don’t you? Maggie and I went to a particularly good one last weekend. Do you remember last season when a supporter proposed to his girlfriend over the ground tannoy system? Well they got married. Congratulations Mark and Lorraine Hazell. Not very organised yet though, her season ticket is in the Tetley’s Stand and his in the Church’s Stand. They got married on a Sunday so they wouldn’t miss the Worcester game and have cut their honeymoon short to see this one … must be love!

Now let me give a big, big welcome to Newport-Gwent Dragons.  Paul Turner, their coach is a wily old fox who knows his rugby well and they have a great team. We will need to treat them with utter respect this evening, otherwise we will lose. They beat Leicester last Friday comfortably - Leicester the team that humiliated us 32-0 in the opening Guinness Premiership game. Both teams tonight are capable of playing good open rugby and both will be mindful of the importance of bonus points – so hold on to your seats! I think this is a great new competition and well done to the BBC for sponsoring it, alongside Powergen.

Obviously, the running battle twixt the clubs and the RFU continues apace. I saw the RFU suggestions last week. They want to introduce yet another pre-Christmas international and for us to release the players in the week running up to that – five weeks in a block; eight weeks in a block during the Six Nations, a summer tour of two weeks and an 11-week rest period. In a nutshell, the players will be unavailable to the clubs for 26 weeks – half the year. We will naturally remain loyal to our own shareholders, season ticket holders, supporters and sponsors, so we won’t be going down that road – neither will we ever consider central contracts. Anyway, enough, enough, let’s return to reasons to be cheerful.

Reasons to be cheerful – part two

5. James Percival is getting better by the day and will start on some gentle rehab soon. James broke his neck in the warm up game against Leinster.

6. We are using the new seats in the extended South Stand for the first time this evening. The boxes and the executive box will be open in time for the Wasps game. Work continues on the new roads and car parking.

7. We have two great away trips to Narbonne and Viadana in the European Challenge Cup. Always good fun. Make sure you don’t miss out!

8. Lastly, Sam Harding and David Gerard are with us and are both registered for Europe. Pat Barnard will be joining within a month and although he is currently playing his rugby for Western Province in South Africa – he is English qualified. Keep smiling.