Vandal attack on club’s facilities caught on camera

SADLY Bob Jenner’s MRUFC archives for February 2021 will be without any rugby playing records.

The only incidents to report, sadly, being that the fine work undertaken by the Macclesfield team of Roustabouts repairing Club facilities were undermined by vandals on Friday evening who inflicted more damage. All recorded on the club’s new Almas HD security system – “Smile Please”. The police are conducting their enquiries.

Friday night’s curtainraiser, before a weekend of Six Nations Rugby, featured Sale Sharks against Bath. Looking at the Sale backline, you could be excused for thinking that there had been a Covid outbreak in the Sharks camp. Alex Sanderson had opted for a very liberal rotation in his back-line squad, which was in effect six of the expected line-up changed. Sanderson made a few changes late-on but Bath’s lead was too much in the end, 22-27.

As he said in his post-match interview: “A lesson learned”, having said that he also believed that the side had not done the basics right.

At HQ on Saturday Italy came out of the blocks to take an early lead against a slightly re arranged England line-up.

Many had called for more drastic changes to be made in a game that would prove to be straightforward for England; but knowing

Eddie Jones’ long-winded approach to selection, this was always unlikely to happen.

It could have been the perfect time to blood Harry Randall at 9 and try a change at 8; Billy Vunipola has just not been the wreakingmachine that he once was. Jack Willis made an immediate impact, but his nasty knee injury will keep him out of the reckoning for some time. Many will hope that it’s time for Sam Simmonds to be given a second chance, just like it was for Tony Neary, back in the 70s, who had the door slammed in his face – and look at what Neary achieved.

Narrow wins for Wales and France put them on top, after two rounds, with 9 points and England not far behind on 6, with it all to play for.

After a week’s break Wales take on their favourite foes England for a mouth-watering contest in Cardiff – Louis Rees-Zammit v Jonny May is sure to create plenty of excitement – can’t wait. As for Sam Simmonds, unlikely, but we can only hope!