Having just returned from a 3 week holiday it's taken me 24hrs to recover from the shock of leaving as England were battling against New Zealand in the 3rd Test, to return as England were completing a fifth test victory over India. To say I was perplexed is putting it mildly !

But I want to just get my thoughts on the Bale sage in writing, even though no doubt I'll probably be repeating what has been said elsewhere. There's a scene in Gavin & Stacey when Gavin says to Smithie something along the lines '..if we met now I don't think we'd be friends..'. In the same vein, were Bale not Welsh, there's little that I see and hear from him that would make me admire him, apart from his footballing ability. If the story of his turning up at a school in Cardiff with an LAFC top/hoody are true, then for me it just about sums the person up. I've had a pop at Ralls and Vaulks over the last couple of years but they - and no doubt others - have always struck me as grounded, accessible, approachable people. Folk you can relate to. I'm glad Bale didn't come here. I suspect Morison was rather relieved too.