WHAT did you make of England's performance against Wales last Saturday then?

I thought it was bitterly disappointing in the end – to be leading all the way up until the 69th minute and then concede those two late tries was devastating.

But that's the game, and let's hope England can complete their RBS Six Nations Championship fixtures with crushing wins over Italy and Scotland at Twickenham.

As far as the France v Scotland game went?

Well, I suppose it was pretty much as you would have expected with France never in any serious likelihood of losing and, in fact, claiming the four-try bonus point in their comfortable 27-10 victory.

And, not surprisingly, Ireland too chalked up a 26-16 win against Italy, although they were made to work hard for it.

On the club front, London Irish moved a step closer to a league-and-cup double by beating Yorkshire Carnegie 22-8 to reach the final of the RFU Championship Cup.

Young wing Ben Loader was the star of the show with a brace of tries, and Exiles will hope for silverware when they take on Ealing Trailfinders in May.

There were no league games for our other local clubs last weekend, so everybody apart from the long-term injured should be in fine fettle and raring to resume hostilities this Saturday.

That includes National Two South leaders Rams, who hit the road bound for Gloucestershire to face 11th-placed Dings Crusaders.

Rams currently sit 12 points clear of the chasing pack with seven matches to play, so while they can't afford to ease up, they appear well set for promotion.

As for my boys Reading, currently eighth in the Southern Counties North, we are off to fifth-placed Bicester, so that would be a great scalp to take.

Also on the move are seventh-placed Reading Abbey, who travel to fourth-in-the-table Aylesbury, while, to complete the Reading sides' exodus, Berkshire Shire Hall nip along the M4 and turn off at Slough to tackle the team one place and three points ahead of them in the BB&O Championship table, Phoenix.