By Rugby World reader, Larissa Falls

What’s Hot and Not In February!
From Rugby World reader, Larissa Falls

Got any to add?

Hot:

Invictus… Inspirational, incisive, influential, incredible…even though a little inexact!

No. 8’s… Think Beattie’s performance against France, Easter’s against Wales, and Zannie who’s more than filling in for Parisse. Not to mention Heaslip and Harinordoquay who are their teams’ outstanding talents!

Short Restarts… Winning the ball from your own kick off…not bad at all!

Six Nations… Bastuaerds size, Bowe’s finishing skills, Sean Lamont’s attacking flair and Hook at outside centre. Millennium Stadium’s atmosphere, Italy’s victory and the Wales v Scotland epic.

Russian Team… Qualifying for their first ever Rugby World Cup in 2011.

Shane Williams… Breaking Gareth Edward’s Championship try record to highlight that you don’t need to be 15 stone to make an impact!

Not:

Sponsor Boards…Any chance those that surround the pitch could stop scrolling, flashing, fading and changing every second?

Gatland’s Roof Rant…Andy Robinson had every right to decline that Millennium Stadium’s roof be shut. Rugby is, after-all, a winter sport.

Scrum Call…The inconsistent timing of crouch, touch, pause, engage is leading to too many early engagements, isn’t aiding those in the scrum nor appealing to those in the crowd.

Wilkinson Criticism… Totally unjustified blaming one player! Notably those comments from an ex-Bath fly-half of the late 80’s/ early 90’s who’s too interested singling out Jonny and satisfying his personal agendas rather than looking at the match as a whole.

Andy Powell… Golf buggies, drink, motorways…it’s never going to work!