A COUPLE of pedants have pointed out that Bradley Wiggins would not be riding into the Dales wearing a yellow leader’s jersey next year, as mentioned in last week’s column, as it’s the first stage of the race, meaning he couldn’t yet lead the race.

Only the winner of the previous year’s race can wear the yellow jersey on the first day of the following year’s race if he wants, but he doesn’t have to. While always grateful for feedback, I can’t help feel this column is the wrong place to be searching for accuracy.

Having said that, I witnessed a disgraceful lack of accuracy at a recent under-sevens rugby tournament attended by the youngest boy and his teammates from Wensleydale RUFC (train every Sunday from 10am, see website for details).

The arrangement was that I reffed a couple of games and the opposition kept score.

I say “kept score”. I actually mean cheated like a class of particularly naughty schoolchildren playing the game Cheat on National Let’s All Cheat Day.

Of course it’s all about taking part, working together, having fun, learning new skills etc, but you still need to have winners and losers, and the winning team can’t be the one which actually lost by five tries.

We lost and you won? I believe you are mistaken, my good Hunter gilet-wearing man. Never mind, although if you’re prepared to cheat at this, I wouldn’t fancy being your wife.

In other news, I was interested to see in the most recent minutes of Leyburn Town Council that the local branch of Alcoholics Anonymous had invited all councillors to attend an open meeting.

I fear this is what happens when we take our community leaders for granted, fail to show them love, write critical letters to the local paper and berate them at public meetings – they’re driven to take solace in drink.

  • For legal reasons I should point out that I have no idea about the drinking habits of Leyburn’s town councillors, but I’m sure they all drink responsibly and in moderation.

You’re doing a super job. Keep it up.