I MUST start by saying well done to in-form London Irish, who made it seven straight wins from seven Greene King IPA Championship games with a battling 26-17 bonus-point victory at Doncaster Knights.

They ensured their win by half-time following four touchdowns courtesy of Blair Cowan, Ben Loader, Fergus Mulchrone and Motu Matu’u, and Irish now prepare for the visit of fellow high-fliers Cornish Pirates, albeit the visitors have stumbled recently, losing their past two games to Jersey and Bedford.

National Two South table-toppers Rams also kept their dream start going with a 33-18 home victory against Tonbridge Juddians.

It was their seventh success from eight outings and their seventh bonus-point win of the season ahead of Saturday’s trip to three-from-bottom, Bristol-based, Old Redcliffians.

As for as my boys Reading, I’m afraid it was a disappointing afternoon at high-flying Stow-on-the-Wold in our Southern Counties North fixture.

We went down 28-19, and things weren’t helped by conceding a converted try after just three minutes.

This Saturday the boys will certainly need to get it right when they take on top-of-the-table Wallingford at home.

Reading Abbey had a great result, winning 37-23 at Slough, and will hope to make it back-to-back wins at home to Stow-on-the-Wold.

Sadly, it was a bad day at the office for Berkshire Shire Hall, who suffered an 80-12 drubbing at home to BB&O Championship leaders Chipping Norton. They host third-placed Faringdon on Saturday.

Finally, I would like to mention Gill Rackley, one of our original Reading Ladies players and who, unfortunately, suffers from leukaemia.

She decided to organise a charity day at the club and had a cake sale, raffle and a small auction which, altogether, raised about £1,500 which she has given to Leukaemia Care and the Anthony Nolan Charity.

She was overwhelmed with the support the club and all her friends gave her, just showing the rugby community is always trying to do good for people who are less fortunate That is why our game is so special.