ROOM 101

ROBIN HISLOP

THE DONCASTER PROP TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Foreign meat

I grew up on a farm in the Scottish Borders rearing sheep and cattle so it pains me when I see foreign meat on sale in our supermarkets. Some people have this misconception that New Zealand lamb tastes better, when it actually tastes 100 per cent worse. TRP VERDICT: No-one can accuse you of being sheepish, I bet! You’ve got our vote.

2. Lateness

It winds me up no end when I tell the players to meet up at 6.45pm for a lineout or scrum session and some of them rock up at 6.55pm. My old man was a bit of a freak for being punctual – he’d turn up ridiculously early for anything – and I think that’s rubbed off on me. I don’t like leaving things to the last minute. TRP VERDICT: We’ll second this, lateness is plain rude.

3. Missed touch

This breaks me as both a player and a coach. I think it is inexcusable when the 10 misses touch from a penalty after his team-mates have worked so hard at the breakdown or the setpiece to engineer an opportunity to win territory. As well as being totally deflating for your team, it also gives the opposition such a lift.

TRP VERDICT: Talk about crossing the line (or not, as the case may be), your fly-halves better watch out!