This Is How You Score, Chris

England's prolific try scoring winger, Chris Ashton, has spent the week being taught how to score a try - by England's coach, Martin Johnson. The scorer of two tries last Friday night against Wales was warned of his show-boating antics and shown video footage of similar celebrations that turned horribly wrong ahead of this Saturday's Six Nations encounter against Italy at Twickenham.

Ashton claims last weekend’s pre-try celebration was an “in the minute thing” but, having been reigned in by England management, he concedes he will not be making the same mistake this weekend.

“You don’t want to be one of those guys who runs away with themselves, I only have eight caps.

“Having said that, everyone wants to bring out a bit more of themselves, but it takes a while to break the ice in a team. Whilst you are winning everyone is happy and you can bounce off each other. This week the boys have been enjoying themselves at my expense.”

He admitted that if he had dropped the ball, the consequences would not be worth thinking about. “I would have been in a world of pain! I have taken a lot of stick from the boys this week.”

Meanwhile, Martin Johnson played down the supposed rollicking Ashton received after the match as “grossly exaggerated.”

“My reaction wasn’t over the top because it didn’t need to be. The good thing for me is the boys stick their own hand up when they’ve made an error. He gave away a silly penalty as well, but he knew that.”

“The incident gave the management an opportunity to reinforce the principles of placing the ball down, primarily safely but also as close to the posts as possible. Two points can win us the game.”

Johnson reiterated the respect that would be offered to Italy following their narrow loss to Ireland last weekend. “Italy’s defence will be as robust as Wales’ was so we mustn’t get ahead of ourselves. Number one we want to win, and doing so without injuries will take precedence over flair.”

However, this may not please an expectant Twickenham crowd. Accepting that the English fans want to be entertained, Johnson reassured fans his side will “bring the juice in order to get the crowd into the game.”

Although Johnson named the forecasted unchanged starting line-up, South African born Hendre Fourie replaces Joe Worsley on the bench.  As the only authentic open-side flanker in the squad, Johnson hinted Fourie could earn his fifth cap in the final 20 minutes on Saturday.

“If Italy turn up like we know they can we are going to be heading for a close game in the last quarter. Fourie will be useful for regaining possession when the ball gets a bit looser in the rucks.”

Durham Lecturer Sets New Transatlantic Rowing Record

Durham Lecturer Sets Atlantic Rowing Record

A Durham lecturer has set a new record for the quickest time to row across the Atlantic. Two other Durham alumni joined her in a six-person crew. 'Team Hallin' smashed the previous record by 20 hours and 14 minutes.

Naomi Hoogesteger, 29, who teaches Modern Languages was the only female on board the 31 day, 23 hour and 31 minute voyage, but she was treated as one of the boys.

It took just 3 days for the men to strip off to avoid blisters. One day later she was joining them.

           

“I had some big sores on my bum and just had to do it. My crew had stripped off the day before and were just getting on with it,” she said. This was just one of the many sacrifices made to become world record holders. “I’ve seen enough manly dangly bits to last me a life time,” she added.

Flying fish, 30ft waves and a Russian cargo ship were amongst the other hazards the crew had to negotiate, a far cry from the meandering River Wear.

But the most physically and emotionally demanding challenge was sleep deprivation.

The crew rowed around the clock in two teams of three. Each team had just two hours to eat, sleep and run repairs on the boat before another gruelling two-hour stint. The voyage cost each rower 2 stone.

Team Hallin took advantage of January’s trade winds and settled currents to make the 3,000-mile journey from Tenerife to Barbados.

But their boat was their secret weapon. The 40 foot long boat has a revolutionary tri-hull design that was built for both speed and stability - an important feature if they all wanted to keep dry.

For ex DUBC rower, Chris Covey, the journey provided plenty of time to consider his next challenge: how to pop the question to his girlfriend.

Fortunately it went as successfully as the voyage. Let’s hope his next journey is plain sailing. 

5 Reasons Why the Surf Trip was Better than the Ski Trip

Whilst every other man and his dog descended on Val D’Isere this Christmas, a small but well crafted group of adventurers headed off for some sun, sea and surf in Morocco. Here are 5 reasons why you should think about doing the same next year.

1. So the journey begins...

…and ends before the ski trip coaches have even left the country. Twice the distance was covered in a quarter of the time. Our cattle class tickets might as well have been business class in comparison to the battery hens crawling their way across France. With the crew riding high on the giddy pre-holiday optimism that airports instil, the 5am meet time merely provided the opportunity to enjoy a sunset surf later that day. Only some Moroccan mischief from the airport taxi drivers delayed our swift voyage. A corrupt police intervention meant we were not allowed to board the arranged mini buses to our surf camp, Surf Berbere, instead having to use the taxis that apparently have a monopoly over the airport.

2. Sunny Delight

No, I have not been to the tanning salon; this is an authentic all over tan without a hint of any panda eyes. If wall-to-wall sunshine is not your thing then Morocco isn’t the place for you. It is not an exaggeration when I boast we saw one lonely cloud float by all week, and this is supposedly their winter. It was a pleasant 20-25 degrees every day with a calm sea breeze. It’s fair to say I’ve had more Vitamin D than you can shake your Sunny D at, making it the perfect preparation for the upcoming hectic epiphany term.

3. Cultural Exchange

It is difficult to define the culture over there, as it seemed to be a melting pot of a variety of influences. The Islamic state had a more Middle-Eastern spice than it’s north African location suggests, though there was a certain air of African friendliness which, once blended into surfing’s laid back lifestyle, made for a distinctly chilled and relaxed pace of life.

As the winter stomping grounds for any European surfer worth their salt, the town is geared around surfing. Imagine a Moroccan Newquay, but without the 16-year-old chavs, rain and sloppy surf. World-class point breaks adorn the coastline with double over-head swells regularly rolling in.

I feel like I have experienced something truly different from the norm. The ski trip on the other hand, merely packed Durham up into a suitcase and carted it off to a different town. Same people, same attitude, same snow – Durham is just a couple of mountains short of being Val D’Isere. They simply swapped Klute for La Follie Douce. The term ‘same shit, different toilet’ comes to mind.

4. “We’re all friends here...”

I’m not talking about the ‘I saw you across the piste in a sexy one piece and thought I’d add you’ type of friend; I’m talking about the ‘I’ve seen you practically naked’ type of friend. This wasn’t a college clique surf holiday disguised as a ‘Palat-in-surf’ trip. We put our college allegiances aside for a minute to get to know people of different cultures, for example, Stockton.

5. All for a snip

When weighing up the surf trip versus the ski trip, the real deal clincher was the price. There was no ‘basic package’ with plenty of extras. It was simply £250 for full board, equipment hire and transfers. The flights were the only thing left, which cost £100 but only because I was so unorganised, but still making the full cost the same as the ski trip (without skis, lift pass upgrade, food and paraphernalia they rope you into buying).

Before you all slag me off as some judgemental hippy surfer prick, I’ve been on both sides of the fence, and to be honest, I find myself now sat on it. I went on the ski trip to Val Thorens last year and OK, I’ll admit I loved it. Both weeks will live long in my memory for different reasons. I’m just trying to stoke your flames and maybe plant a seed. Next year don’t be so quick to jump on the Durham bandwagon, go in search of the path less travelled for a change.