Today's issue of The Rugby Paper once again has interesting contributions from Fylde personnel.

Perhaps most controversial is former Scotland international referee, Fylde Chairman of Rugby and Disciplinary Officer David Leslie. He is quoted on the performance of Craig Joubert who reffed the Australia v Wales game on 23rd June. "Rugby is in great danger of dying if the way Test referees are assessed does not change." If current arrangements "stay that way, the game of rugby is in great danger of becoming unattractive to watch or even die."

"I think the game's management by the referees has gone out of the window. They should have that power again. Steve Walsh is one of the few referees with good management skills ... The way Joubert refereed was amazingly intolerant. I found it awful."

Previewing the 2012/13 season in National One, Head Coach Mark Nelson talks about the situation of the Club's new halfback pairing - Nathan Fowles & Chris Johnson - and new skipper Evan Stewart, and admits that an opening match against Esher couldn't be tougher. "There will be huge competition in London with Esher, Ealing, Blackheath, Richmond and even Old Albanians. I've given our lads another week off before preseason training begins to get them really hungry and we will then push them hard to get them competitive in every game.

Talking about National One as a development environment, he added "N1 could be massive for young players coming through but at the moment the difference in funding is huge [compared with the Championship]."