There’s been a flurry of interest in rugby lately, for some inexplicable reason, and a lot of discussion about the future of the game in England. How will things stand on the rugby fields of England in four years time?

Reading’s Abbey Rugby Club might offer some clues. In 2011, the current under 15s could well be full-blown professionals, and if their performances in the Golden Jubilee Ireland Tour are anything to go by, they might have something serious to offer the national side.

The team is sponsored by Lower Mill Estate. Last weekend, despite dire warnings from Terry Wogan on Radio 2, they pitted their wits and muscles against three Irish sides (Corinthians, Galway; Galwegians RFC; Crescent College, Limerick – Wogan’s alma mater) and won every game. Blow by blow match reports follow.
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There are murmurings these days that an older form of star-gazing may be coming back into fashion: gazing at stars in the heavens, and not in the pages of Grazia, Style, Chat, Bella and Best (to name but a few. More intriguing still: some say we’re witnessing the return of the golden days of the Victorian gentleman astronomer.

Of course, the upper-middle classes didn’t have a monopoly on star-gazing discoveries, but many scientific advances were made by members of the more leisured classes, who had time to sit around under trees and ruminate upon stray notions and unorthodox ideas.

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And here are two more episodes in this unrolling festival drama. First up, some raft building:

Next, some swimming in the Spa:

There’s also footage of some good old family sports, but some good old youtube glitch is preventing me from posting it for the moment, so fans of international level track and field events will just have to wait until the technical team has got on the case.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, the footage you’ve been waiting for so patiently: four films shot at the LME festival. View them for now: profile and back story on the director to follow tomorrow.

Here’s the kayaking …

Here’s the tug of war …

And here are the awards …