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FRIDAY: News of my biggest ever snooker break might not worry the likes of Ronnie O'Sullivan.
But after a nightmare six-hour drive down to Devon I was quite pleased with my 18 effort - it could so easily have been 25 had the black not rebounded - during a game in an hotel complex in Torquay.
Snooker is like a lot of other sports in that you have to play or practise regularly to be any good.
It must have been more than two years since I last picked up a cue, and probably a similar amount of time before that - hence my pleasure in chalking up such a modest total.
Earlier in the day, Doncaster boxer Jason Rushton was transferred to a Doncaster hospital from the Manchester hospital where he was taken after collapsing following a title fight - and where he had brain surgery.
Jason is a smashing lad and a credit to the sport. I'm sure I speak for everyone on the Doncaster sports scene in wishing him a complete recovery.
SATURDAY: Doncaster Rovers stand-in captain Martin Woods will not have many happy memories of the game against Plymouth at Home Park.
Not only did Rovers, who didn't deserve to come away empty handed, lose 2-1, but Woods was red-carded after 50 minutes for a second bookable offence.
He had seen red in the first half after suffering a broken nose. His nose wouldn't stop bleeding and he spent several lengthy spells on the touchline receiving treatment.
It was my first visit to Home Park and what amazed me was the fact that it was free for everyone to park in the massive car park.
Doncaster Knights climbed out of the bottom two in the 12-team Championship and in into a top-eight promotion play-off spot following their 36-7 win over troubled Birmingham and Solihull at Castle Park.
The game kicked off at 5pm in order to give supporters the chance to watch the televised England-Australia clash.
According to my sources, Doncaster Lawn Club served up an impressive firework display at their annual bonfire night celebrations at their Saxton Avenue base.
The event, which attracted a bumper crowd, featured a best Guy competition.
Apparently, one of the Guys had as its face a picture of controversial X-Factor contestants John and Edward.
It didn't win but I'm sure that a lot of people would have enjoyed seeing it burn on the big fire - save, possibly, my wife, Isobel, who actually voted for the dreadful duo on a recent show.
Being a club member, I would probably have been down there had I not been travelling back from Plymouth as it's usually a good night.
At least I got the chance to see a few fireworks, including what looked to be a rather spectacular show north of Bristol, as I drove back home up the M5.
sunDAY: Knights boss Lynn Howells was already looking forward to this weekend's South Yorkshire derby against Rotherham Titans at Clifton Lane when we spoke about the Birmingham game.
I finished my work, which included the Plymouth-Rovers report, just in time to catch the highlights of the England-Australia rugby union game at Twickenham as well as the crucial England-New Zealand Four Nations rugby league clash at Huddersfield, played on Saturday night.
It was good to see Jonny Wilkinson back in an England shirt.
He has suffered a catalogue of serious injury problems since winning the 2003 World Cup for England with a drop-goal and many a lesser man would have hung up his boots a long time ago.
The game itself highlighted England’s shortcomings - though, to be fair, they do have a lot of injury problems - and they were beaten by a Wallaby side not in the best of form this year.
England booked their place in the Four Nations final with an impressive win over world champions New Zealand.
The Kiwi’s might be lacking some of their big guns in this tournament, but they are never an easy side to beat, and England -particularly their pack - did well.
Just prior to the rugby double bill, I managed to catch a few minutes of the Norwich Victoria FA Cup game which brought back memories of Rovers’ time in the Conference.
MONDAY: It is not every day that a former world boxing champion walks into a local gym and YIP head coach Eddie King told me he was more than a bit miffed to be away on a course at the time and miss out on the chance to greet his famous visitor - especially when the man concerned was Mike Tyson.
WEDNESDAY: I caught up with Dons head coach Tony Miller, enjoying a four-day break in Spain, to ask him for his thoughts on this weekend’s inaugural Four Nations Final between England and Australia at Elland Road on Saturday night.
“I honestly think that England have got a chance,” he told me. “I fancied us to beat New Zealand on Saturday when a lot of people had the Kiwi’s as favourites, and we did.
“It was a really good game and the England pack were outstanding.
“Australia are an exceptional side and they have got some real quality backs, as we saw when they beat England at Wigan.
“We played with a lot more freedom in the second half, which we won 16-0 after trailing 26-0 at the interval, than we have done against them for a number of years.
“You have got to take a gamble against Australia when you’ve got the ball. You just can’t play it safe because that will get you nowhere.”
FRIDAY: With there being no football game this weekend due to the international break, there was no need for Doncaster Rovers to hold their usual press conference.
But Rovers boss Sean O’Driscoll kindly agreed to a request from people like myself to make both himself and members of his squad available for interview as usual. It was all very festive with various players donning Santa hats and costumes for Christmas promotions.
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Weather for Sheffield
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -3 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
