Journalist friends, please respond to the UK government's consultation on late payments and poor practices. The NUJ has responses to help your submission. This is an important opportunity for every freelance journalist. #StopTheFreelanceRipOff: nuj.org.uk/resource/stop-the-freelance-rip-off.html

Thursday night and I’m settling down to watch Pro D2 rugby on YouTube. Tonight it’s Grenoble v Nevers. And it’s free to view! www.youtube.com/live/eWK4JyX...

High spot of Thursday night - watching French Pro D2 rugby. Tonight it’s Agen v Grenoble. The enterprising lads at FR-UK Rugby have negotiated a deal to screen one match a week on YouTube. And it’s free!

A new record has been set for deep cave dives in Ireland and the UK. Read the story on Darkness Below. darknessbelow.co.uk/jim-dives-to...

I’d be interested in people’s views. If someone is constantly doing the hard sell in your LinkedIn direct messages, do you warn them or just ditch them?

Great idea. I have a lot of happy memories of that building. www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2025/news/ar...

Rugby multitasking - watching Harlequins v Bristol in the PWR on the laptop and Ospreys v Leinster on my phone.

Nope. The biggest problem is deeply ignorant bigots like this,

I made a starter pack for NUJ London Freelance branch members, committee, and union officials. NUJ members on Bluesky - please join and share! #StrongerTogether #JoinAUnion go.bsky.app/JyaRxx

My current take on AI is that you need a human between the AI and the consumer, otherwise it feels uncanny. Use AI to plan a presentation but not give it. Use it in business but don't give customers a chatbot. Use it to analyse information but not relay it. Don't shove it in people's faces.

Can anyone name an England match in living memory where Elliot Daly put in an influential performance? Nah, me neither. It’s a missed opportunity to try someone like Joe Carpenter.

Whoever this is commenting on Premier Sports on the Gloucester v Scarlets match should know that Gloucester captain is Lewis Ludlow and not Lewis Ludlum. Matt Banahan, the former Bath and Gloucester player, is co-commentator. Can he please wave a note under the bloke’s nose to put him right!

Just settling down to listen to this. I’m listening out for my former colleague, the very splendid @christopherpittard.bsky.social .

Not surprised if the Mercer story is true. Lousy news about Fasogbon, who looks the real deal.

Absolutely lousy night’s sleep so I’m in Costa early doors with coffee and a cinnamon bun. I’ve got a book on user-generated content and journalism to review. Happy new year, Bluesky friends.

So a month after the red card for dangerous play, we finally hear that Saracens’ Hugh Tizard has been banned for 12 games (cut to six because he’s apparently a nice boy and also finally said sorry). The delay appears to be down to Saracens calling in an independent surgeon …

Blimey, that was efficient. I applied for a new passport on Wednesday afternoon. It arrived this morning.

I’d dearly like to know what the verdict was on Hugh Tizard’s red card when Saracens lost to Newcastle on Nov 29. I can’t see a decision from an RFU disciplinary hearing. @charliemorgan.bsky.social and @crichardsontel.bsky.social , have you heard anything?

Another exclusive from the Telegraph rugby lads on the RFU saga. Now the National One clubs have waded in and demanded an examination into the sport’s management. 11/14 teams signed the letter. Looks like B’ham Moseley, Darlington MP and Bishop’s Stortford didn’t. I wonder why not.

If you’ve got your feet up this weekend (I’m reclining regally with a mug of green tea and a piece of chocolate yule log to hand), please catch up with the new edition of Crime Review. We’ve got ten new reviews and an interview with author Nadine Matheson. crimereview.co.uk/page.php/edi...

Not at all convinced by the RFU’s decision that the result in last Saturday’s Chinnor v Doncaster Championship match stands after the floodlights failed in the 68th minute. Score was 18-13, so Chinnor were hardly out of sight. I hope Doncaster appeal.

From @uwebristolofficial.bsky.social to reading the news on the BBC! Well done Courtney Sargent and Becky Lippiatt 👏https://courses.uwe.ac.uk/P50012/journalism

It's at this time of year, when the Christmas songs come on the radio, that I like to remember one of the Pogues finest works.

I’d dearly like to know what the deal is with the RFU’s PR advisers, whether in-house or bought in. The low profile and occasional passive-aggressive quote is a lousy example of crisis comms. I wonder whether this is the PR team’s idea, or pressure above their heads not to engage with the media.

I’m still tittering at Joe Marler’s literal mic drop last night in his farewell interview. Happy retirement to the big fella, who has done so much for mental health consciousness-raising in rugby, as well as his top-class trolling at Israel Folau for his homophobia.

Today’s sport viewing: Wealdstone v Wycombe in the FA Cup; Racing 92 v Toulouse in Top 14 rugby; Ireland v Australia in the final Autumn Nations match; England v USA women’s soccer. And sneaking a look at Northampton v Gloucester in the Prem if my nerves can stand it!

Interesting, but not too surprising. I’m still trying to fathom out the point of Threads which just seems to be people complaining about aircraft seats and queue-jumping in shops! pressgazette.co.uk/platforms/bl...

I’m endlessly depressed by the way experienced and trained sports journalists are sidelined by so-called influencers and by retired sportspeople who think anyone can be a journalist. There are some very competent former stars now in the media. 1/3

Thank you so much to Sean Morrison from @thebristolcable.bsky.social - great start to our 24/25 Masterclass series! @bjtc.bsky.social @uwebristolofficial.bsky.social

Exclusive in the Telegraph tonight by @bencoles.bsky.social and Gavin Mairs reveals that five RFU executives have all trousered bonuses - totalling almost £1m - in addition to their salaries and annual bonuses. This is on top of Bill Sweeney’s dosh. Talk about rewarding mediocrity.

Watching Stade Francais v Racing 92 in the Top 14. England reallyreallyreally need Joe Marchant.

Wales v South Africa is likely to be a cricket score. SA two tries and 0-12 up in the first 12 minutes.

I’ve got Saturday Kitchen on in the background with the sound muted. Some rather intriguing head fashion among today’s chefs - a splendid purple Mohican, and then a chap wearing a barrow boy cap while he cooks. It’s a bit nippy here, so I think I’ll wear a balaclava while I’m cooking my tea tonight.

Yep!

I’m planning today’s sports viewing. The fact that only Football Focus (which will still be plodding along when spaceships land on Mars) and snooker is all that’s available on the BBC sums up the depressing decline in free to air sport. I’ll watch most sports, but I’m never bored enough for snooker.

Meh. I’m underwhelmed by the England team to play Japan. If this mediocre lot win, I predict ‘nothing to see here, it’s all going to plan’ hand waving. Now’s the time to try people like Trevor Davison, Ted Hill, Luke Northmore and Cadan Murley. Only positive is Asher Opoku-Fordjour on the bench.

The England fly-half debate seems to be hand-waved away in some quarters as Marcus Smith is the messiah and George Ford is past it. @charliemorgan.bsky.social nails the wider arguments in this thoughtful and analytical piece.

I’m gutted to hear that the writer Phil Rickman has died. His crime fic series set on the borders of Herefordshire, Glos and Wales was one of my absolute favourites - vivid settings, strong characters and creepy enough to ensure you kept the lights on when you went to bed! Rest well, Phil.

Our @uwebristolofficial.bsky.social Journalism Masterclass series begins next week. We welcome Sean Morrison from @thebristolcable.bsky.social to talk investigations and campaigns. A real bonus for our MA Journalism and @uwemediaproduction.bsky.social students!

Scottish grans rock. I still miss mine and was thinking about her the other day when I found her favourite book -The Flight of the Heron by DK Broster - on my bookshelf. Someone was obviously chopping onions while I was watching this: www.instagram.com/reel/DCmX2La...

1. The Flashing Blade (has to be done with horse-riding actions!) 2. Champion the Wonder Horse (used to sing it while galloping around the kitchen on my mum’s broom) 3. White Horses Honourable mentions for Belle and Sebastian, and Follyfoot.

Those are some, um, interesting (as in interesting times) selections by Warren Gatland for Wales v South Africa. I’ll confine myself to saying that Gareth Anscombe may be well out of the whole shambles and that I hope Gloucester’s Freddie Thomas gets his first cap off the bench.

Calling all freelance journalists 📢 Help us to shape the future of journalism by sharing your voice. We're conducting a survey about the state of freelance journalism in the UK. But we need your help! Please complete this anonymous survey to share your experiences. forms.gle/eVbzBq5jkfmP...

Still catching up with all the follow-up stories to the weekend’s feast of rugby. Rather amused to note that Portugal’s captain is a dentist (one of four players in their squad who don’t make their living from the sport. I’m sure he was disappointed that the match v Scotland didn’t kick off at 2.30!

Dear old Ollie is back - and never short of a story angle for the football journos. At least he’s promised not to widdle on the training ground pitch! Https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cy871np8m0do

Good moaning! I’m just getting comfortable over here. And it looks like the journos have arrived. A quick intro for those of you that I don’t know … I lecture part-time in journalism. I’ve worked mainly as a sports reporter and have also covered music and education. I now review crime fiction.