Enjoyed this, although I quite like the term Benji-ball, lazy or not. www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/a...

Ospreys en route, Oystercatchers on the Recre pitch, Great Black-Backed Gull in the car park, and ev charging - no finer rugby league trip than Whitehaven in the spring

Always the best five a side of the year - the swallows have returned to Hough End - they seemed so happy to be there

Near the top of a long list of damn good league players who have gone on to lucrative coaching careers in union edinburghrugby.org/news-and-fea...

"The image clearly depicts me as a simple vendor of seafood sandwiches"

John Cartwright still looking good for a role with the Sith in any future Star Wars films whenever he leaves Hull. Has to be the silliest stock picture in sport. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-...

A pleasing coincidence that after watching Tom McKinney make an impressive try-scoring debut for Salford on loan from Warrington yesterday, I'm now listening to his namesake presenting the Radio 3 breakfast show from another part of Salford. Love his Staffordshire vowels.

A lovely extract in The Observer from a piece by @tjaldred.bsky.social in this year's @wisdenalmanack.bsky.social Almanack (published Thursday) on cricket's traditional links with mining observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

Super game at Salford - 79th minute drop goal from Leon Hayes to beat Batley 29-28

This seems so unnecessary www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Always a relief to hear the first willow warbler of the year. A couple singing around Ees this morning, although Chiffchaff and Blackcap much more prominent #chorlton

Now 120 points in the two #nrl games at Optus - with 8 mins to play. Not far short of England’s second innings total there in the winter. What a great competition it is www.youtube.com/watch?v=78z4...

Armed police on the tram platform at Cornbrook - seems a bit excessive for Lancs v Derbyshire

Remarkable Rugby League riff from the ever entertaining Dave Fletcher on the bbc cricket commentary. Drifted from Salford to Papua New Guinea in the course of an over, with cheeky mention for his fellow Boltonian D Hadfield. Conclusion seems to be the game is doomed 😊

Lancs v Derbys, first day of cricket at Old Trafford for the summer - wish I could stay! (Although it is a bit chilly)

Unless I’ve missed it this hasn’t made the main bulletins on any tv / radio - certainly not the same impact as Farage and badenoch urging more drilling. Humanity is weird www.theguardian.com/environment/...

A simple five word answer this weekend to why NRL wants to invest in British League - Dom Young and Kai Pearce-Paul. They should be superstars in this country as well as Aus. Tigers-Knights next week 🔥

Hats off to Kaue and Ryan @cougarmania.bsky.social for making this happen - had been due last autumn during Ashes but the Kiev kids got turned back at border control. www.itv.com/watch/news/t...

Bonus to get back from Wire and be able to watch Catalans v Toulouse - full house at Brutus as well? Stick with it and this could become the dream Easter derby for rl trainspotters - definitely more competitive than warrington-Leigh today

Wow, Reece Walsh - brilliance and bravery in the space of two minutes - looking forward to seeing Verhoeven too #nrl

Keeping Dave Hadfield’s spirit alive - Mike does such a great job covering St Helens especially when he’s got so many pubs to visit

Lovely hearing Sid Waddell and John Gwynne on the Manchester darts montage just now. If only John was still around for an aggressive late night drive to Northampton for Lancashire’s first game of the season tomorrow. Good Friday start doesn’t feel right to me - it’s a rugby day

A gentle ramble on the theme of Salford, Halifax, their contribution to Super League's first three decades, and possibly the best cover tackle I've ever seen by a prop (although I do vaguely remember Sonny Nickle doing something similar) www.totalrl.com/no-invite-to...

Slightly biased because I know people who campaigned with her, but she strikes me as hugely impressive - more so than Polanski, to be honest. And good that Zoe Williams did the piece www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Was a pleasure to attend this at the weekend - some inspirational people in the room - and a record sum raised for Benevolent Fund. Love the Queens Hotel as well. rugbyleaguecares.org/news/preside...

A shame @hullfcofficial.bsky.social don’t post on here - but hats off for doing their Teamsheet in Ceefax style to mark 30th anniversary of Super League. And surprise stand-off Zak Hardaker may well remember it!

Two clubs who have contributed plenty to the first three decades of super league - on the outer for the 30th birthday bash - but given recent financial experiences, thank goodness they’re both still going. Also a Salfordian reminder that it’s the 80th anniversary of Lance Todd Trophy this year

Thought Sky's coverage last night was as good as Castleford's performance. So much knowledge of and love for the sport - shines through in all the 30th anniversary packages, the pre and post match - Westerman wonderful. www.skysports.com/rugby-league...

Watching first sand martins of the year over chorlton water park ❤️ (After scraping frost off car windscreen)

It’s behind a paywall, and not mentioned in the headline, but brilliant quotes in this piece from Kris Radlinski about the decision to appoint Matt Peet as Wigan coach a few years back - which wasn’t universally popular, it’s easy to forget now. www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Sometimes you just need some high octane bagpipes on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Heron Valley were fantastic today @manchesterfolk.bsky.social

Still got a soft spot for this place

Melbourne-Brisbane, what a contest - just a regular Round 3 fixture! - loved the mutual respect between players at the end - and also a fruit bat sneaked on to the coverage late on, hint of Scooby Doo #NRL

Singing Blackcap, hunting Barn Owl (first of year in each case), spring sunshine and now Canberra v Canterbury. If Carlsberg did Thursdays…although I’d pass on the Carlsberg

Saddleworth in the spring - glorious

Fantastic piece - including possible quote of the year from Alex Johnston, regarding statue and pigeons www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2...

Beech Road florist on Mother’s Day morning - stunning, and smelt even better than it looks #chorlton

Sitting between Richard Whiting and Joe Ofahengaue, listening to Elvis, and the bubble machines are on - must be Leigh v Hull. Three wins from Wembley

Fantastic tribute to Kevin Ashcroft by Mike Latham in the latest @forty20magazine.bsky.social

Great piece, distant memories - I was standing behind the posts with my dad, ahead of leaving to cover England's last Ashes thrashing but 3 in Aus (cricket). And always good to see a Gareth Copley RL photo www.theguardian.com/sport/no-hel...

Great to see Wheelchair RL back @uniofnottingham.bsky.social - and for that matter any form of RL in the great city of Nottingham. Now come on Forest 🌳 www.rugby-league.com/article/6460...

Love the NRL, but I do find their fixture list weird. Parramatta fans will have had to wait three weeks before having a chance to watch their team in the flesh (without flying interstate) - whereas Manly and Broncos start with consecutive home games.

Such sad news about Matt Salter. Before his RU success with Bristol, a GB Academy tourist with the likes of Terry Newton, Nathan McAvoy and Sean Long - and a lovely, chatty lad. Hopefully he'll be remembered before Halifax v Broncos today www.independent.co.uk/sport/salter...

Nice surprise to see Emily Bell from London Broncos on BBC London bulletin this morning - ahead of her appearance in Gladiators quarter finals, which I must admit had passed me by. Cambridge Uni (Fitzwilliam) and Jamaica. Typical Rugby League…

Watching the cricket in the Goose in sunny Walthamstow. Hard to imagine the pressure on the India players - I guess IPL is good prep

“Representing your country demands sacrifice and resilience. Wayne has taught me more about those qualities than I can put into words...the story of England Wheelchair Rugby League carries his fingerprints throughout." Lovely from Tom Coyd on Wayne Boardman - www.rugby-league.com/article/6458...

wonderful stuff. and you'd never guess @collinstony.bsky.social is a Rovers fan...

🌳🐝 Cricket clubs will be gearing up for the new season, corralling willing volunteers and making plans. As it's World Wildlife Day, we thought we'd give you some super simple ideas for things you can do to make your cricket club more nature friendly. www.thenexttest.org/blog/six-of-...

Quietly remarkable RL result of the weekend - #londonbroncos reserves beating @hullkr.bsky.social - maybe not surprising when Broncos included Alex Walker and Will Lovell - such a shame there isn’t a second southern club to act as Broncos feeder. Bedford?

Very much enjoyed Karl Turner with Justin Webb on R4 this morning. Bath RU interviewing Hull KR direct from central casting. A shame they can’t sit together in Vegas 🏉 🇺🇸