North focused on series win

Wales winger George North is relishing the prospect of going head-to-head against Australia with the British and Irish Lions this summer but the youngster is only focused on bagging that all-important series win.
The Lions have not come away from a tour with a series win since they came out on top against South Africa back in 1997 but the latest Lions Rugby betting odds  suggests the current crop of players to end that long wait for success.
North, who is set to join Northampton Saints this summer, has emerged as one of the most exciting players in the northern hemisphere and the 21-year-old is currently getting used to playing with his Lions team-mates.
The winger is certainly a player the Wallabies will be looking out for and North is determined to make sure the potential in this Lions squad is recognised as they hope to end a 16-year wait for a series win.
He told Sky Sports: "We want to go down there as part of a successful tour and a winning tour.
"As somebody said to us earlier we want that winning mentality. It starts from day one which it has.
"Along the way we must have fun along the way so it's been good having a laugh with the boys in camp. We've been working hard, but also enjoying the time while we're here."
North looks set to pull on the famous red jersey for the first time on June 1, when the Lions tour 2013 kicks off with an encounter with the Barbarians in Hong Kong.
It gives the Scarlets trymachine an opportunity to set a marker for other wingers to chase ahead of that first Test against the Wallabies on June 22 in Brisbane.

The old Lions set to shine through

Warren Gatland’s British and Irish Lions squad is for the most part a youthful side with some of the most exciting players in the northern hemisphere.

Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg is the youngest member of the squad at just 20-years-old and Wales winger George North is just a year older.

Even the skipper Sam Warburton, at just 24-years-old is a spring chicken and is now preparing for his first Lions tour.

However there are two old heads in the 37-man squad who will have a massive impact on how successful the Lions will be in Australia this summer.

Irish duo Paul O’Connell and Brian O’Driscoll at 33 and 34 respectively make up the oldest players in the squad and their experience both on and off the field will invaluable to the squad and Warburton.

There was plenty of speculation on whether the Ireland veterans would make the squad but clearly Gatland and his management team see the value of a sprinkling of experience in an otherwise relatively youthful set-up, especially after Jonny Wilkinson’s decision to pull out. O’Driscoll has been on three previous Lions tours but is still waiting to secure his first series win.

You get the feeling that the worldclass centre still has some unfinished business in the red jersey and he will be doing everything he can to end his Lions career on a high with a series win over the Wallabies, something worth thinking about if you are considering a free Lions rugby bet .

As for O’Connell, he missed out on the entire Six Nations campaign this season with a back injury but still managed to do enough for Munster in recent weeks to earn a call.

Both these players have skippered the Lions and don’t be surprised to see them in the Test side for that first encounter with Wallabies on June 22 in Brisbane.

Accept and Move On

I think I need to get back to doing this regularly, and with frequent reminders.  Yet another post from exactly a year ago foresaw quite a bit.  And I had warned, even before the mantra became "accept and move on" in all things Kenyan.  As many writers say, our leaders are a direct reflection of us and we cannot pretend to be any different from them.  Given the same chance, we would behave in exactly the same way, as that is what we seem preconditioned to do.  We are genetically wired to be so predictable that it is painful to watch goings on.  The faint hearted like myself are inclined to give up, accept and move on.  But the perennial palpitations I get keep me awake at night, wondering, what my role in this life has been.  In the end, it may not be what we did, but more what we failed to do.  Read this past Weekly Ramble.

Let my mojo return, or my stress reduce.  Will surely be back.

Bamburi Rugby - 4 Years On!

I just thought I would dig up a post from 2009 when I was still passionate about the Bamburi Rugby Super Series and realised that not much has really changed.  The commercial arm of the tournament is thriving but the technical seems to be lagging far behind.  We do not really know what we want out of the tournament and seem to have turned it into some sort of PR, development or affirmative action event.

Something needs to be done, and not just a change of names!

O’Gara still Unsure over Retirement Plans

Legendary Ireland fly Ronan O’Gara confirmed he is “still unsure” over plans to retire this summer after Munster’s Heineken Cup defeat to Clermont Auvergne cast doubts over his future in the sport.

The 36-year-old battled hard during Muster’s semi-final clash last weekend and despite kicking a conversion and penalty during a late fightback his exploits weren’t enough as the Irish side crashed out 16-10.

After the game he was asked for his reaction and whether or not this spells the end of his long career.

“I don't know, today’s not the day to be thinking about it,” he told Betfair Rugby. “I will sleep on it until the end of the season and then make a decision.”

O’Gara has once again been a pivotal member of Munster’s squad in both the Heineken Cup and Pro 12 league yet at 36 his body is starting to feel the strain of 15 years of top-flight rugby.

The Munster legend has seen it all over an illustrious career, winning two Heineken Cups, three Celtic Leagues, the 2009 Six Nations Grand Slam and making three Lions tours.

One more Heineken Cup was just too much for O’Gara and co. this time around and no doubt over the next few weeks the fly will sit down and consider his options. He has the quality to play another top-class season in the Pro 12 but with Munster way off the pace of a Heineken Cup finish it’ll be two years minimum before he is back on the European stage.

Come 38 O’Gara is unlikely to meet the standards he set himself over the past 15 years and, even if he wants to play on, his body may make the retirement decision for him.

Trending on Betfair at present is the British Lions betting: Wilko should have been in not out.

Haskell holding on to Euro dream

London Wasps were on the verge of dropping out of the Aviva Premiership last season but now the side are pushing for a return to Heineken Cup rugby, in a competition flanker James Haskell is determined to play in once again.
Having seen some of the club’s most successful players leave the club in a short space of time with the likes of Lawrence Dallaglio, Joe Worsley, Rob Howley and Josh Lewsey (to name just a few) calling time on their careers, it was understandable to see a dip in fortunes for these former Premiership and Betfair Heineken Cup title holders.
However few Wasps supporters would have ever expected to be watching their side come as close to relegation as they did last term.
But with a bit more stability financially off the field and the squad settling under head coach Dai Young, Wasps are back on the up.
Since his return from a spell across the Channel, Haskell has been a key figure in the pack at Adams Park and is now one of the most experienced players in the team, with the latest rugby betting  suggesting that a return to European glory will arrive sooner rather than later.
The England international knows Heineken Cup rugby is important for the club and feels an imminent return would be a real boost for everyone concerned with the London outfit.
Haskell told london24.com: “Finishing in the top six and qualifying for Europe are the most important things to all of us now.
“For me, if we manage to achieve that you can put this season down as a massive success.
“To come from being on the verge of relegation to qualifying for the Heineken Cup within a year would be a huge step forward.”

Flood committed to Tigers cause

Amid speculation about a potential move to France this summer, England fly-half Toby Flood has insisted the Leicester Tigers at this moment are the only team for him.
The former Newcastle Falcons No.10 has established himself as a key figure in the squad at Welford Road and the latest rugby betting  suggests the Tigers look like they will be challenging for the Aviva Premiership crown once again this season.
Currently sitting in second place in the table, Leicester were well fancied in Europe to according to the Heineken Cup odds   but they can only focus on claiming the English crown now having been knocked out of the Heineken Cup in the quarter-final stage by Toulon earlier this month.
Flood has been at the heart of much that has been good about the East Midlands club this season and will be a  player pushing for British and Irish Lions selection ahead of their tour of Australia this summer.
Over recent weeks the 27-year-old has been linked with a move across the Channel to join one of the French powerhouses, which are starting to take a strong grip on the European game.
The lure of moving to France has been strong, especially for many top players in the Welsh game, who have decided to make the switch to the Top 14.
However Flood has insisted that for now he is going nowhere and is enjoying life with the Tigers, who will be looking for a strong end to their 2013 campaign.
He told BBC Radio Leicester: "I love it here. In some regards it is nice to been linked with France but nothing has been said.
"There is always speculation but I am enjoying my time here and for me there is only one club in England you want to be at and it is this one."

Sarries secure Streather services

Saracens are building towards a crucial stage of the season in both the Aviva Premiership and the Heineken Cup but they have one eye on the future and Nottingham’s Tim Streather is set to be a new face at the club next term.
The 24-year-old has been a standout performer in the Championship with Nottingham, who themselves are pushing for promotion to the Premiership this year and currently sit in second place in the table.
Streather has been a prolific try-scorer for the East Midlands outfit and his creative play has clearly caught the attentions of scouts from the top flight as well as punters on Betfair rugby markets.
Sarries director of rugby Mark McCall has certainly been impressed with Streather’s performances in the Championship this term and is looking forward to having the talented back at Allianz Park next season.
He said: "We have been watching Tim for some time and he has proved himself one of the most impressive centres in the Championship. We're delighted he's chosen to advance his career at Saracens."
Streather’s main goal will be to have a strong end to the season and he has the opportunity to take his current employers to the Aviva Premiership before making the move to the Allianz Arena.
The Meadow Lane star is looking forward to testing himself in the English top flight and he will be pushing for silverware with a team like Saracens, who have emerged as one of the strongest club sides in the European game over recent years.
Streather said: "Saracens are a fantastic club, who consistently challenge for top honours, and I am extremely excited about adding something to a group of players who are of the highest calibre."

Frustrated Burrell Eyes Strong Finish

It has been largely a season to forget for Luther Burrell but the Northampton Saints centre is now looking to have a strong end to the campaign and try to help the East Midlands outfit to Aviva Premiership glory.

The former Leeds and Sale centre has spent a large spell of the ongoing campaign out on the sidelines but made an impressive return for the Saints in their 31-14 victory over London Welsh last weekend to send the Exiles down into the Championship.

The 25-year-old managed to cross the whitewash twice on his return, as he looked to impress head coach, Jim Mallinder, and prove that he should be part of his plans for the last two games of the Premiership season and beyond.

With Northampton sitting in fourth place in the table, the Franklin’s Gardens outfit have their destiny in their own hands if they want to secure another semi-final playoff place.

Burrell, who made a decent start to the campaign, was pleased to fill the void left by the injured Dom Waldouck in their victory over Welsh and, having got some game time under his belt, he is hoping to end the season on a real high.

He told BBC Radio Northampton: "I spoke to Jim Mallinder and the coaches this week and it was massive for me to come in and fill that slot [whilst Dom Waldouck is injured]. I'm happy to be in there. It's tough with competition for places.

"It's been very frustrating but you've got to stay positive. We've all got one goal - to win the league. It's about me finishing the season the way it started."

Read the Will Greenwood column on the Betfair website for all the latest odds, picks, and news for the Aviva Premiership: http://betting.betfair.com/rugby/

Sale need Improvements before next Season

After a disappointing campaign in the Aviva Premiership, Sale Sharks fans are desperate to see their side improve over the summer and they are rightly putting pressure on director of rugby, Steve Diamond, to get the job done this offseason.

Sale finished second bottom in the Premiership this term, eight points above relegated London Welsh but nevertheless a long way off a top six finish. Over the years, improvements have been promised but never come to fruition and rugby betting fans are wondering if they’ll ever return to the top of the English elite.                   

Put simply, Sale have transformed into an exporting club of late and are suffering off the back of that policy. Diamond oversaw nine player departures last summer and had to recall young prop, Lee Imiolek, to the side after an injury nightmare ravaged the squad early on in the season.

Four more players left in during the campaign and all Sale fans saw in return were five additions plus Daniel Braid, who scored 10 points in three appearances at the back end of this season.

Looking to the future, Diamond has confirmed investment will be made into the squad but there is still concern it won’t be enough to see Sale rise into the top six:

"We've got three or four imminent signings and we're in the marketplace for two or three internationals who are close to coming to us," he told BBC Radio Manchester.

All Sale have to show for their transfer activity this year is the guarantee Welsh’s Tom Arscott will join in the summer, while Andy Powell and Richie Vernon are set to leave.

With high-profile names exiting Salford and few confirmed replacements filling the void, Betfair’s Will Greenwood believes that these are dark days for Sharks fans desperate to return to winning ways.