WHAT a weekend it was for our local sides, with all five going unbeaten to end January in style.

I’ll start by congratulating London Irish on chalking up their third win on the trot last Saturday and, this time, with a mighty 66-7 thumping of a depleted Wasps side in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

It takes their haul to 137 points in their last three games with only 41 conceded, and they’ll hope to maintain their form when they visit Cardiff Blues tomorrow night.

Redingensians Rams managed a hard-earned 12-12 draw with visitors Tonbridge Juddian, where neither side were really able to hit their stride because of copious handling errors due to the bad weather conditions.

I’m sure they will be disappointed with the result, but they’d probably take sitting fourth in the National Two South table at this stage of the season.

Hopefully, they can go one better and bag the winning points away to second-bottom Broadstreet on Saturday.

As for my boys Reading, they totally over-whelmed Stow-on-the-Wold, winning 37-10 having gone into the break with a 27-3 lead in our latest Southern Counties North fixture.

It left our head coach, Ben Wills, delighted and he was particularly happy with the younger members of the squad.

He commented: “What was pleasing for me was to see another one of our youth coming through.

“Young Ollie O’Toole, just 17, made his debut and put in a good performance, enhancing what is a very young side that is starting to come together nicely.”

We travel down the road to fourth-placed Thatcham this coming Saturday, so it would be a great game to win for us and nice to gain a bit of revenge for our home defeat earlier in the season.

Reading Abbey, too, were in the points last Saturday with a great 43-7 win at rock bottom Drifters.

It should put a spring in their steps for this Saturday’s home game against Gosford All Blacks, who are currently second-bottom.

I’m sure this is a game they will be expecting to win, but they will have put in the effort as the All Blacks will certainly put in a performance as they try to avoid the drop.

Lastly, the Six Nations starts this Saturday and I am sure we are all excited to watch these games.

I’d urge all of you to go and support your local club and watch the games in the clubhouse as you cannot beat the atmosphere of being in a rugby club when these games are on.

The majority of clubs now all have large screen TVs and will be able to cater for all who attend, so enjoy what promises to be an entertaining opening weekend.