The East Terrace

"Why you no wear uniform?"

Does anyone know what is going on in this RFU England Shop advert?

It looks like some sort of open-handed martial art attack.

Answers on a postcard, please.

Quins target change in fortune

The latest news item from The East Terrace is now available on scrum.com.

We reveal how the Harlequins are trying to bring back some good luck after the Bloodgate scandal.

To see the story visit the page by clicking here.

Wilkinson spotted in bar with Lady Luck

The East Terrace's latest news article is now online on www.scrum.com.

We reveal the latest drama in the personal life of rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson as he attempts to woo Lady Luck.

For a direct link to the story visit: http://www.scrum.com/lionstour/rugby/story/100213.html

Oliver Azam in shock Oscar nomination

Originally published on scrum.com on January 30th, 2009

Gloucester hooker Oliver Azam has shocked the entertainment and rugby industries by being nominated for an Oscar at the 2009 Academy Awards.

It is the first time a professional rugby player has been short-listed for one of the prestigious Hollywood gongs.

Azam has been placed as a contender in the ‘Best Actor in a Supporting Role’ category after his sterling performance in the Gloucester v Cardiff European Cup game on the 18th January 2009. The main reason for his selection was his intense portrayal – during the 27th minute of the match - of a man suffering a life-threatening blow to the head. Despite a less than convincing performance from fellow rugby professional Tom James of Cardiff (who was supposed to give Azam a hefty smash to the head), the Oscar judges were moved by Azam’s ‘physical expressiveness, and emotional vulnerability’.

 A spokesman for the Academy Awards said of Azam’s European Cup display:

“It was so believable. The manner in which he responded to the actions of Tom James was pure genius. I’ve rarely seen the like in sport, let alone rugby. When I first saw it I thought that Azam was not acting and was actually about to die. I genuinely thought that he would die right there on the rugby field. When I saw the DVD release of the game and got to watch it more closely, well, I was stunned into silence. When you see a performance of that calibre, something of that standard, well, you’ll believe a man can fly. From the very faintest of contact with Tom James, Azam was able to produce a reaction on a level to that of a man who has just been thrown into the path of an express train.”

Beaumont shocks rugby world by announcing comeback

Originally published on scrum.com in Jan 2009

More than a quarter of a century after his last match for his country, former England and Lions skipper Bill Beaumont has shocked the rugby world by making himself available for the 2009 Six Nations campaign

With English rugby currently in crisis, and new manager Martin Johnson under immense pressure to deliver some results, Beaumont has stepped forward to, "help serve his country in one of its darkest hours".

Beaumont won 34 caps for England, a large number for the era, and led the side on 21 occasions. As well as making two Lions' tours, including being captain for the 1980 tour to South Africa, he also led the North of England to a famous win over New Zealand in 1979. He is most well known, however, for taking England to the 1980 grand slam; their first since 1957.

Beaumont's dramatic return to the fore was inspired by a recent late night viewing of Sylvester Stallone's 'Rocky Balboa' movie. The sixth film in the immensely popular Rocky series sees the fictional boxer return to the ring in his late sixties to take on the current heavyweight champion of the world. Rocky's combination of guile, power and passion is almost enough to see him upset the odds and win the fight.

"I was sat at home a few weeks back just flicking through the movie channel when on came this wonderfully inspiring film about a man taking one more shot at something he passionately believes in," said the fifty-six-year-old Lancashire man. "Rugby is something that I passionately believe in and, as a proud Englishman, I want to help my country out during its time of need. I couldn't sleep after watching it. I thought, well, I know it sounds silly, but maybe I could do what Rocky did. Maybe I could take that million to one shot and change things."

Since watching the movie three weeks ago, Beaumont has hired a personal trainer, purchased several sets of grey tracksuits, cleaned his old boots, drunk six raw eggs each morning and gone on a run "almost" every other day. He has also ordered several live chickens from the local farm to get in some agility and speed practice.