Brian Dick, rugby union in the Midlands

Rugby Notes: Play-off farce taints the league season Feb 25 2011

At last, after eight months of glorified warm-up matches, the real rugby is nigh – or the Silly Season as it should be known given the faulty logic that underpins the entire play-off concept.Read

Rugby Notes: Lengthy deals for national coaches bring problems Feb 17 2011

The cross-fertilisation of ideas from other sports is a principle that has served rugby union well in recent years.Read

Rugby Notes: Transfer window undermines Championship season Jan 27 2011

The recent influx of new blood into the West Midlands rugby scene is extremely welcome in many respects.Read

Rugby Notes: RFU falling short in sponsorship Jan 21 2011

Flicking as I do through The Sunday Times’ appointment pages, in the vain hope that this will be the week someone somewhere in the world wants a slightly squishy-around-the-edges aft grinder for the forthcoming America’s Cup, I happened upon a couple of interesting vacancies.Read

Rugby Notes: 2011 could be (another) defining year Jan 06 2011

It is probably true of every new year but with the facts and storm clouds assembled in their present alignment, the next 12 months promises to be a defining one in national and regional rugby.Read

Rugby Notes: RFU and Championship must address postponement crisis Dec 16 2010

Without getting too meteorological and on too high a soapbox with Climate Change emblazoned on the side, in the last few years it has become increasingly difficult to refer to ‘average’ or ‘traditional’ temperatures.Read

Rugby Notes: Bromsgrove aiming for some festive cheer Nov 27 2010

The further into the West Midlands rugby pyramid one searches, the more difficult it becomes to use the word thriving.Read

Rugby Notes: Martin Johnson's reign as England manager reaches a watershed Nov 04 2010

Of all the developments in professional rugby, the cash-cow milking exercise that is the November internationals is one of my least favourite.Read

Rugby Notes: RFU and the clubs must find common ground Oct 07 2010

The thorny issue of Championship funding is back on the agenda and so far the public utterances from both sides are a mere couple of galaxies apart.Read

Rugby Notes: Sad sight of Gavin Henson's decline Sep 24 2010

As a rule I am neither in favour of celebrity rugby players nor galactico-style signings by clubs with a history of financial murk.Read

Coaches only have themselves to blame for breakdown in rugby Sep 16 2010

At first glance Richard Hill’s comments about the lack of contest at the breakdown apparent in last weekend’s scare for Worcester Warriors against Rotherham have a certain Gallic hue to them.Read

RFU cuts hit Coventry and Stourbridge as National One season starts Sep 02 2010

National One, a division which features some of the longest jaunts in rugby, gets under way this weekend but for most clubs even epic journeys to outposts like Tynedale and Redruth are light relief compared to the tortures of the summer months.Read

Brian Dick: Money matters changing the face of Midlands rugby Jul 15 2010

The likelihood that James Rodwell has played his last game in the red and black of Moseley is a development that is mirrored across West Midlands rugby.Read

Brian Dick: British tennis deserves better service Jun 23 2010

British tennis remains in a lamentable state with no Grand Slam contender on the women’s side and only one of the men’s. Read

Brian Dick: Rugby season leaves a lot to be desired Apr 15 2010

There was an audible sigh of relief when the current rugby season started. At last, we thought. The game would return from the front pages to the back and it would be events on the pitch not off it we’d be talking about.Read

Brian Dick: Play-offs bring confusing finish to tough campaign Mar 19 2010

Usually the role of a journalist is to shed light where there is darkness and create clarity where uncertainty lingers. This is not one of those occasions.Read

Brian Dick: Justice done in the Birmingham & Solihull points deduction Mar 12 2010

It’s difficult to escape the feeling that somehow, via a dizzyingly circuitous route, justice has finally been done in respect of Birmingham & Solihull.Read

Brian Dick: Time to blow the whistle on the British & Irish Cup Mar 05 2010

Relief, blessed relief, is close at hand. After this weekend, I may never have to watch another British & Irish Cup match again. Oh joy and raptures.Read

Brian Dick: British & Irish Cup offers little cheer Feb 11 2010

The British and Irish Cup breaks the momentum of what is becoming an absorbing Championship season this weekend with a pair of fixtures to numb the senses.Read

Our new rugby video show - Moseley, Bees and Stourbidge Feb 04 2010

Birmingham & Solihull RFC, Moseley and Stourbridge are the centre of attention for our new rugby video show.Read

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