SARrugby.com

Nick and Flo don't get seduced by al this airy fairy stuff and come back home soon.

Bath is the most beautiful architectural city I have ever seen. It was founded and built by the Romans in 60 AD, with all the buildings having been constructed out of stone.

There are plenty of one-way streets and the layout is confusing when you first drive around the city. It took me half an hour to find the way to the rugby stadium, despite the irony of being able to see it the whole time.

The stadium is right in the middle of the city. It seats only about 15 000 people, which gives you the vibe of a Paarl Gym-Paarl Boishaai derby in South Africa. The atmosphere has to be experienced to be believed.

I am living in a castle with two other players and two of the coaches. Bath’s owner bought the castle and transformed it into a rugby facility. It includes a new gym and three rugby fields, one of which is astro-turf – probably for when the ground freezes!

As a kid, I always dreamed of playing professional rugby and I do remember dreaming, after watching Aladdin, of living in a castle. I never thought that was actually going to happen, but here I am, living in Farleigh House Castle!

I am really keen to get out and play my first game for Bath, but the conditioning coaches and physios over here are a lot more conservative than back home. They have agreed that I am ready to play, but are worried about the strength discrepancy between my legs. The significant strength difference increases the risk of injury, even if it’s the other leg due to over-compensation. I have been hugely impressed by the conditioning coaches and physios here. This knee is obviously going to be a permanent 'work on' in my weekly schedules from now on.

The other two pics are the Bath rugby ground and the last a view from king Nick's window!

Anyone know what Nicks contract with Bath is? I could be wrong but wasnt he due back at the Stormers next season?

 He seems very impressed with their physios. Bath certainly improved Flo's game so maybe they will also assist in getting the very talented Koster back on track after all his injury troubles.

That really is a beautifull Ground

Sorry above is the view from king Koster's bedroom window. Ou windpomp may have made his first decent point the other day!

Yes very pretty ground and no doubt  a pretty little place. But it provides only a small stage for an emmerging rugby superstar  -mcaaaws nemisis etc.

He need a majestic big ground like Newlands as his stage Ek!!!

All this makes me wonder what obscure, unknown, rural backwaters guys like brycy, hakwa, sSUE, Allblacknblue, poly boy, poie etc etc  come from. what quaint little isolate dviallges with a one pub a barbers shop and bakers shop they live in. 

How very different their lives must be and how the internet must have opened their eyes to a greater more dynamic world!!! Places like Cape Town must hav been amazing to these rural yokels!! 

i am really gratefull i am not the gardener at the bath club. very lush and amazing backdrop i must admit. just sad to see the likes of louw and koster playing overseas. south africa can really be a lot more richer with there talents inside our borders

CM, this is probably way off-topic, but my youngest son's father is the gardener at a hotel in Taunton. My sons came to England in 2005, and we only followed in 2008. My son was with the same hotel and that was where he met his wife. The first time that he went to visit in South Africa she came along and they brought some of the brochures along with loads of pictures. My mother looked at it and my son told her that his (then) girlfriend's father was responsible for those gardens. My mother looked up, very cleverly. and said to her: "But you have to remember that your dad's labourers, who are working for him, are much different than those that would be working for him in South Africa". My son pissed himself laughing, saying: "He does that all by himself and he does not have any labourers helping him".  These guys know how to sort out big gardens like that. Trust me. LOL.

Well windpomp please convey my sincere congrats to him as he has to be a fine gardner and you can be proud of having such an eminent person in your ranks!

I was wondering to begin with if you were in fact the gardner as you said - "but my youngest son's father is the gardener at a hotel in Taunton".  Hahahahahahaha could imagine you in that occuaption - under supervision of course.

But one day I would like to visit there and see his work first hand etc. Ou nick is living like a king  - off the rugby field that is.

OK Beeno, for once you have me there. Make that father in law, but I am sure that you would have realised that I actually referred to his father in law........................... I hope. Oh, and he is not involved in this particular place. He is in Taunton.

Great day for the Beeno!! hehehehhe