I'LL start off by congratulating London Irish who were in rampant form on Sunday as they hammered the visiting Cornish Pirates to make it two successive RFU Championship Cup group wins.

Declan Kidney's men now take on Bedford, home and away, in successive weeks with this Sunday's game at Madejski Stadium.

It was very much a day of mixed fortunes for our other clubs, but there was an excellent National Two South away win for Redingensians Rams in seeing off Taunton Titans 35-30.

It was Rams' seventh straight league win to stay top of the table, seven points clear of closest rivals Henley.

Rams now face ninth-placed Worthing Raiders at home this Saturday, while Henley, too, enjoy home comforts with the visit of the side just two points behind them in the table, Canterbury.

Sadly there were some glum faces among the Reading and Reading Abbey boys with both sides losing narrowly at home in Southern Counties North.

My boys Reading started really strongly. playing some great rugby and at half-time we were 12-3 up against visitors Bicester.

The visitors, however, came back fighting strongly after the break and unfortunately for us, two yellow cards cost us dearly and all that hard work they had put in was lost.

We could not not handle them with players in the bin, and they took full advantage to eventually win the match, 17-12.

At least, we had a losing bonus point for all our efforts.

Meanwhile, up at Rose Hill, Abbey's woes deepened as they lost their fourth match of the season, 19-17 against Aylesbury.

It leaves them ninth in the table, but with a handy seven-point gap between themselves and us.

Neither side has a game this Saturday so they can put in some extra training time.

At least I can end on a positive note and say well done to Berkshire Shire Hall for chalking up their fourth BB&O Championship win of the campaign, posting a healthy, 45-5, defeat of Sonning Lane visitors Harwell.

With four wins from seven league outings they are nicely placed third in the table and should add another scalp this Saturday with a trip to bottom club Winslow, who have yet to win a match.