Hello, this is The Rock, the journalist's rugby podcast from The Times and the Sunday Times, massive weekend in the Prem to. England and France have set up a grand slam decider in the women's six nations, no shocks there, and some interesting investment news in the English game all to get through. Welcome along. I'm Alfie Reynolds and in studio with me on a Monday, Will Kelloggler. Hi. Hello, you're right? Hello. I'm very well, thank you. And Alex Lowe, right, Alex? I think the last time, Alex, we had you on, was before you were heading off on under 14s, under 15s, under 15s, rugby tour. Yeah, eventful. Can I ask how it was? Eventful. It was really good. It was really good. So the week before we were talking about it, because I'd gone to Coventry, had done that community rugby. That's right. Old North Antonians, heart and soul of the game. And I was really looking forward to going on my, what would be my third tour with Wallingham and the guys there. And just, and it was everything you'd want. And I think one of the most, like they play water sports and a whole lot of fun on a Saturday.

And they played rugby at Swanage and Ware and Rugby Club on the Sunday, who were hosting,

I think about four or five teams from around the country.

Definitely Chepstow, Billerickey, Bromley, I think.

And it was just a big festival, lots of fancy dress.

But one of the most, one of the best things about it for me is watching the lads.

So in the squad that my son plays in, there's six or seven, I think, from the same school.

But they build relationships with lads from other schools, which is so, I think it's just so important.

So you just see them off of their little huddles hanging out and we were staying, we're done in Dorset. So on the beach and, I mean, up to all sorts of things, I'm sure, which are probably best I don't know. Nice. But it's just, you know, again, it's the, it's what the game is all about and we'll spend

the rest of the pod talking about the pro game and England and RFU and politics, but this

is what it's all about and it only works.

It's the same point I'll repeat from when I went to see the guys at Old Northamptonians,

but it only works because of the volunteers. Like the coaches who give

up their time to train the guys and plan the tours. And that's the, you know, being at Swanage

and Ware, I mean, looking around at all these clubs on tour and I was chatting to a group of

lads from Wales. And it's the same everywhere. And it all only exists because these guys do a great

job and yeah so it was good what goes on tour stays on tour elfie quite right no dirt being

dished out here but um there were a few fines to parents and boys uh-huh okay nice can't reveal

anything else beyond that but it was a great weekend well i'll have to say to the time social team

there's no social media clip that we're able to uh kick out of this that would have

daubbin all the kids yeah well where did you go did you go on rugby tour when you were i didn't oh on

oh as a school boy yeah either like club school boy anything i went in 2000 i went to norfolk and we

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