So, we are now in the position that qualifying for the knock-out stages looks a distinct possibility. At the halfway stage, i.e. after three games, we would qualify as the leading runners-up and we have scored more tries, 16, than any of the 24 teams in the competition. The $64,000 question is: “Can we top our group?” We just have to win today and get the bonus point, do the same against Borders and then things reach a climax against Biarritz here at Franklin’s Gardens. It’s my birthday that weekend, so it would one hell of a present. We need as many supporters to go to the Borders game as possible. I haven’t yet had time to speak to Allan Robson to sort out the details – but we need to lay on free or heavily subsidised transport. We have visited the beautiful cities of Biarritz and Parma but, believe me, the Borders are also magnificent and a wonderful place to visit in mid-January. I can almost taste that lowland whisky now!

The trip to Parma proved interesting off the field too, not least because the good doctor Jon Raphael tried to get through departures at Luton Airport with his wife’s passport. Although, he is pretty, he couldn’t fool the ground hostess and he had to go home, get a later flight to Milan and eventually arrived 12 hours later minus 250 Euros for a taxi. He was actually lucky to arrive at all after rebooking his flight to Palma in Majorca, until someone put him right! Talking of pretty men, cast your eyes at Lennie Newman, the team manager, today, who had his head shaved. Such japes.

Next week, we return to the heart of the Guinness Premiership with a game against London Wasps. We can, and must, win this game.

A big, big welcome to Parma and despite the fact we scored 10 tries against them last week, we still need to be on top form. They are likely to play a more spoiling defensive game and try to make to make things difficult for us. We need to be wide, quick and creative. Please cheer the lads on. The next few weeks are critical for the team. Including today’s game, we have eight games before the end of January – five in the Premiership and three in the Heineken Cup. By then, the writing will be on the wall. Let’s try and make it good news. Keep smiling.