SIX NATIONS DIGEST:THE Welsh Rugby Union acted immediately when they dropped Andy Powell from the Wales squad for early-morning revelry.
Speaking for the first time since the incident, Powell admits he may never play for his country again after he was stopped by the local police on the motorway close to their base in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Due to appear at Cardiff magistrates’ court next Tuesday, he said he took the golf buggy from outside the team’s hotel because he “wanted to get a bar of chocolate and a sandwich” from the service station two miles down the motorway.
“At five o’clock in the morning that seemed to be the best option and the golf buggies are always outside the front,” he said.
“I didn’t think it would do any harm to borrow one for the ride. I picked up a cone and a flashing orange light from the side of the road before I got to the motorway, which was even more stupid.
“I’ve done stupid things before when I’ve had too many sherbets but nothing like this.”
Familiar haunt for Murphy
WHILE Leicester captain Geordan Murphy plies his trade at fullback in Welford Road, he is much more versatile than a number 15. The twice Heineken Cup winner, who will earn his 64th cap on Saturday, has started for Ireland on both wings and in the centre, as well as at fullback.
Backing up what Declan Kidney said this week about him knowing the opposition players and knowing the Twickenham ground, this will be Murphy’s fifth time playing against England. As his close friend Martin Johnson (Murphy lived with him when he first went to England) should be aware, the Irishman has scored five tries from the wing but 13 from fullback.
* GIVENJohnson's style as a captain when he played, you get the impression that he would turn into a loyal sort of coach.
He certainly is to Steve Borthwick, the Saracens secondrow and captain of the team to face Ireland on Saturday.
In the 16 matches in which Johnson has been in charge since he took control in the summer of 2008, he has selected Borthwick in all of the matches and as captain on each occasion. Loyalty on Johnson’s behalf, or that he cannot believe his coaching instincts are wrong?
Ex-Jesuit boys make the grade
HAVING previously recounted the contribution the Jesuit schools made to the current Irish squad involved in this year’s first Six Nations match against Italy, more historical pieces of information have come to light on their involvement in games past.
It seems that ex-Jesuit boys, according to their newsletter AMDG, have been doing it for over 70 years.
“There were six Old Belvederians on the Irish team against England in 1946: Gerry and Kevin Quinn (brothers), Brendan Quinn (no relation), Karl Mullen, Jack Belton and Des Thorpe.”
