By Rildey Hall
June 9 2002

So that's it then. Season 2001-2002 finally bows out with an old fashioned battle between the West Country boys and we can all go away and gird our loins and recouperate for next season ... which starts in a few weeks time! That is of course unless you are picked to go to Argentina with Engerland!

Poor old Tom May has copped for that one at the last minute after three of the originals dropped out. Hope he got a refund from Lunn Poly for his Ibitha tickets.

But now that the domestic season is over let's look at the highs and lows of the Falcons season. Well there aren't that many of either.

Lets look at the negatives first. Top of the tree is the PR gaffes which led to war breaking about between the West Country and the North East. At oine stage it looked like wemight have to call in a peace envoy from the USA but finally it was all resolved with a clear the air statement from both sides. Glaws took that as an apology ... didn't quite read that way to me but, hey, alls well that ends well.

On the pitch we had a disastrous Heineken, and our much vaunted backs struggled for decent ball so that we had one of the lowest bonus points scoring records. It ended with us being pipped for another crack at the Eurofizz Cup.The news that we were losing half the squad to the McFalcons, on top of the retirement of Lam and Inga, may also prove to be a negative...we'll truly find out next season.

The biggest bonus was the form of Stu Grimes -recognised by Scotland- and by your good selves in our Player of the Year poll.

Epi developed into a feared flanker -at least when we had the ball - and Liam Botham showed promise as a full back. England continue to recognise Messrs Walder, Noon, Stephensonm and co and JW saw what Billy Whizz could do and hid away in a gym dodging punchbags until he could do the same.

So a satisfactory annual report. But can we do better next term?