Food and Events

The people and mechanics which have turned the football club around in four years are now in place at the rugby club. I have been nurtured by a great club with great individuals such as Tudor Thomas, Peter Wheeler, Ian Smith and Les Cusworth and have played alongside talented players in front of an adoring crowd on a fantastic ground.Time moves on, though, and I recognise the potential Newcastle has to become a great club. I owe them a great deal for the position they have helped to put me in. With such a collection of players we should be able to approach the 1996/97 season in the same way as Northampton have done this. I recently saw the Saints play London Scottish, and doubt that any one of the 7,000 spectators and 15 players did not thoroughly enjoy themselves.However, it was with much regret that I had to leave Leicester after eight happy and rewarding years there. To be able to take part, though, a child must abide by various codes of conduct such as no drugs or bad behaviour.My involvement in this centre will be anything from assisting in managing the project, helping promote and market it and ultimately, when it is off the ground, to play a part in the running of the rugby academy.Off the pitch, therefore, I hope my desire to go back up north and take part in such an endeavour is understandable.On the pitch, Rob Andrew has assembled an extremely capable set of players to supplement the pool of talent already present.

Children in the region will have access to training pitches (indoor and out), a sports injuries clinic and advice on all aspects of their chosen sport, including training, fitness and diet. By instilling these virtues into the young the aim is to produce not only talented sportsmen and women but also reputable adults who would be a credit to the Geordie nation.The vehicle for this endeavour is a centre of sporting excellence made up of various academies that come under the umbrella of the Newcastle United Sporting Club, primarily football, rugby union and ice hockey. They seem to have been overlooked by those who contest that this is a move based purely on financial motives.For those who are not aware there are incredible forces set in motion by Sir John Hall to use the positive aspects of sport to involve the community both in support and or in action. Sport has the ability to unite people while also educating them with various faculties such as commitment, discipline and fair play. Of course it is a risk, but in all my studies as an economist and broker there was always something called "return" with which to weigh this against.Without wishing to in any way belittle the honour there is in representing your country, I do have other needs and desires to fulfil. OK, so I'll be playing my rugby at Kingston Park, a suburb in the north of town for now, but maybe we can convince Sir John Hall to build a bigger stadium for the footballers. The feeling of optimism, excitement and stimulation with which I am approaching this move is in stark contrast to the scepticism with which it is viewed in certain quarters.As far as I can make out the only argument these sceptics have is what it will do to my chances of returning to representative rugby when my injury heals Humbug. Ho'way the lads! As you approach the end of the tunnel at St James's Park the message stands out like a beacon against the stark white paint.

The wishes are heartfelt, just as everything tends to be in the North- east. From the taxi driver to the groundsman, the welcome is resounding I am home. Replacements: J Small, H Honiball (both Natal), J Roux (Transvaal), W Meyer (Eastern Province), C Rossouw, R Straeuli (Transvaal).. The very fact of staying in the West End makes it appear more of a holiday than the business of sporting professionals, and today brings golf at Sunningdale."We have had an exceptionally long, intense season including the World Cup," Du Plessis said. "In one sense, this is a Test too far, but the redeeming feature is its special significance. Whatever the result, the squad will need and deserve a couple of months' total relaxation."SOUTH AFRICA (v England, Twickenham, Saturday): A Joubert (Natal); J Olivier (Northern Transvaal), J Mulder, H le Roux (both Transvaal), C Williams; J Stransky (both Western Province), J van der Westhuizen (Northern Province); A van der Linde (Western Province), J Dalton (Transvaal), T Laubscher (Western Province), M Andrews (Natal), J Wiese (Transvaal), F van Heerden (Western Province), F Pienaar (Transvaal, capt), R Kruger (Northern Transvaal).

Francois Pienaar has nowadays reverted to No 8, enabling Mark Andrews to return to the second row with the back row completed by Fritz van Heerden, who was dropped after England beat South Africa in Pretoria 18 months ago.After winning all nine of their Tests so far in 1995, the Springboks are determined to relax in the build-up to Saturday's 10th - which would be a dangerous strategy had it not been such an exhausting year. "Olivier had an outstanding end to the season." That was back home; in Italy he impressed after going on as a replacement for Andre Joubert.Joubert has tender ribs, but is picked anyway. For Olivier, 27 the day before yesterday, it will be a 12th cap, his selection making him the only member of the 1992 Springbok side beaten 33-16 at Twickenham to last the three years since then.Otherwise, the back line is unchanged from the World Cup final, but the pack has been rearranged due to the injuries which caused Os du Randt, Balie Swart and Hannes Strydom to stay at home and the return of James Dalton, who was suspended during the tournament.The hooker is joined in the front row by Tommie Laubscher, a tourist here last year, and the newcomer Toks van der Linde, who was still wearing the Springbok cap he won in Italy when the party arrived at their London hotel on Monday. Rugby Union STEVE BALE England will face 10 of South Africa's World Cup-winning side when the completed Twickenham is unveiled on Saturday after yesterday's surprising decision by the Springbok management to drop the cult wing James Small.The Small change - Jacques Olivier wins promotion - is the only one from the team who beat Italy 40-21 in Rome last Sunday "It was on form," Morne du Plessis, the manager, said.

It is still possible, however, for Salford to cite him if they can produce further evidence.. The remaining section of the Threepenny Stand will be demolished after the game against Batley, to be replaced by a bigger standing area.The Castleford coach, John Joyner, has reacted to defeats against the London Broncos and Carlisle by making sweeping changes, including the return of Lee Crooks and Tony Smith after injury, for tonight's match at home to Wigan.The League's executive committee has cleared the Leeds captain, Garry Schofield, of an allegation of head-butting in the Regal Trophy tie against Salford after viewing a video of the incident. Both he and Powell are former Great Britain internationals who will leave gaps to be filled at Odsal, but Smith has been determined to lower the average age of his squad.Hull, who have warned Bradford that they have no intention of donating Richard Gay and Steve McNamara to Smith's rebuilding programme cheaply, will play in front of one of the game's most historic structures for the last time tonight. Their prop, Kelvin Skerrett, made his name at Bradford and they have considered off-loading the Test winger, Jason Robinson, who is due to join the Australian when his contract expires.One deal that is going through is an exchange that takes two of Bradford's most experienced players, Deryck Fox and Roy Powell, to Featherstone, with the centre, Matt Calland, travelling in the opposite direction The move takes Fox back to his original club. "And we have the centre positions well covered by Gary Connolly and Va'aiga Tuigamala," he said.Wigan have the players, including a number based in Yorkshire, who would tempt Bradford into an part-exchange deal, however.