Hurtling as we are towards another weekend, let's begin with a piece of jingoism as unreserved as it is unapologetic. England is proud. Well at least it is if you like your balls elliptical. The French were positively downcast at Rugby HQ and a modicum of national pride has been restored.
Now Ray Smith of Hatton Lane in Greenbank may not have seen off fifteen sweating men built like external lavatory facilities, but the hitherto considerable cachet of North Wales and the North West rests squarely on Ray’s shoulders. National recognition awaits this valiant regional poker champion after his decisive victory in the regional finals. It’s all down to the small matter of a straight face and playing his cards right.
At the end of this month, Ray will be up against it in the televised tournament, if only for frankly bizarre choice of hosts. Who could have possibly arrived at the idea of pairing deadpan former snooker supremo Jimmy “Whirlwind” White with dead-behind-the-eyes nurse cum glamour model cum alleged celebrity Abi Titmuss? This has to be down there with the all time greats of preposterous and spatchcock double acts headlined by the train wreck that was Sam Fox and Mick Fleetwood.
If Ray wins, Hartford Hall will go down in the annals of poker folklore as it all began there for the 51 year old amateur. Playing for points on a sunday night two years ago, he claims his success is a mixture of luck and skill, two elements that so eluded the French at Twickenham last weekend. And we didn’t relish the afternoon of unadulterated schadenfreude. Much.
