March 14, 2004

AS I’M currently in California – where it’s very, very warm – I thought I’d stay close to home for this week’s lesson in how not to write.

Well, I mean "close to home" in sporting terms as I’m currently 6,000 miles away from Wales, where I’m given to understand it’s been snowing. Let me just check the thermometer… Ahhh yes, 82 degrees. Lovely.

Where was I? Oh yes, sport. Rugby, to be precise, and the South Orange County Gators (gatorrugby.com) to be even preciser. Formed in 1996 – which is ancient history for this part of the world – the Gators are one of the more up-and-coming rugby teams here in the Golden State.

Orange County is, by an amazing coincidence, very close to where I am right now, glancing up from my monitor at the clear blue sky with the palm trees playfully moving in the light breeze coming in off the dazzling waters of the Pacific Ocean while I sit here, toiling over this column in order to fulfill a contract I signed under duress (someone found the bodies) and God life is so unfair sometimes, why can’t I go out and paddle? No, I have to sit here writing this… bloody hell, 204 words and I haven’t got to the website yet.

The Gators have a pretty impressive history, winning several trophies in their short existence and even hosting a couple of teams from the UK, although unfortunately from Wales. And there’s certainly the interest – check out the roster page, which has more players than Man Utd has prawn sandwiches.

Rugby is a really up-and-coming sport in the USA, although it’s been overshadowed by the more glamorous American football and basketball for years. Bear in mind that the Southern California RFU was formed in 1937 – see scrfu.org for details – and its history is absolutely fascinating, from the first president – a certain Boris Karloff – to the time when its treasurer absconded with $10,000 raised for a tour of Oxford University. America even won the Olympic rugby championships back in 1920 and 1924, the last year that rugger was an Olympic sport… oh sod it, the beach is calling. Bye for now!