Now let’s look back at last week’s game. If we can take positives out of a loss, we should look at how the young players adapted and played for the club. In the end we had four current academy players – Paul Diggin, Mark Easter, Alex Rae and Dylan Hartley – and five from last year’s crop on the field. This is something we should feel very proud about.

However, that does not hide the fact that we lost the game which leaves us rooted second from bottom and that is something only the players and the coaches and all on the playing side can sort out. I can assure you they are working very hard and will continue to do so. They want to get it right more than anybody.

We still need to work on our patience with ball retention which will enable us to keep applying pressure on the opposition. We can all see that we can get to the right areas of the field, but it is all about remaining there and make camp in the opposition’s 22. If we can do that, we will force penalties and more importantly score the tries that will win us the games.

Today’s opponents arrive in good form and are doing well in the league. They are a physical side that are very competent in all areas. We welcome Bristol to Franklin’s Gardens on this first day of 2006. Let’s make it a tough start to the year for them. Your support, as always, is hugely important to us, so let’s make this month a good one for us all. You are and always will be fantastic.

Come on you Jimmies.