Sky Sports Can Ruin Your Social Life

Sky Sports can ruin your social life. Well maybe that's a bit harsh, but I bet if you're a rugby league fan they've tinkered with yours before. This probably extends to many sports, but RL is my area of expertise.

I got a notification via Twitter earlier that Leeds Rhinos kick off time against Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop has been moved back to 5pm. They did the same last year, but with less notice. We had already accepted a wedding invitation for that night. I ended up going with my baby and my mum and dad. Saddo! People kept asking where my husband was. I bet those who didn't were thinking they'd been right all along and our marriage had met with an untimely end. Only joking. We are, of course, a match made in heaven for all to see.

But the worst case of this last minute fixture changing for the Sky cameras came in 2006.

It was announced with four days to go that one of the biggest games of the season against St Helens, due to be played on Friday, 8th September, was to be put back to the day after for Sky TV scheduling. Nightmare! Four or five of the players and staff had hard-to-come-by tickets to see Robbie Williams at Roundhay Park, Leeds on Saturday. I was one of the persons affected and I bet there were loads of supporters in the same boat. We spent the next couple of days stuck to eBay buying and selling and crossing our fingers that we could get new, genuine tickets in time. I think I sold my Friday ones to Disko's wife and Francis Cummins was one of the others affected.

It all worked out in the end. Robbie was fantabulous and so were Orson and Basement Jaxx in support. I think the weather was better on the Friday too so I probably should be thanking Eddie and Stevo (who obviously make all the big executive scheduling decisions).

At the end of the day though, we know that Sky gives the game great coverage and promotion, and we're quick to whinge if we've not been on for a while. But next time a corker of a match gets put on Sky at the last minute, as you settle down with your pizza and your can of Bulmers Pear ready to enjoy, spare a thought for the poor season ticket holder who was meant to be on his best mates stag and the girl who booked Gaga six months ago!

.

Twin Towers or Blackpool Tower? The Middlesbrough Question

Ok, ok, I know. Wembley doesn't have twin towers anymore but it was a convenient comparison. We could also ask, a stroll along the Golden Mile or a strut up Wembley Way?

It's a few hours now since the Challenge Cup draw. My Leeds Rhinos got Wigan at our place. Not the best draw ever but not the worst.

I recently read about a football WAG who had expresses a desire for her fella's team to fail to make the play offs. Middlesbrough it was. The reason behind this apparent lack of support? She wanted to get off on holiday a bit earlier. This is surely the sentiment of a one half of a couple with way too much money coming in. There is also the chance that she made this comment with her tongue firmly in cheek.

In rugby league we all most definitely want to progress as far as we can in all cups and competitions. Firstly, because ambition and pride are at stake. Secondly because in some cases we can't afford much of a holiday unless we win summat.

So what so we do if we get ousted from the competitions early; Challenge Cup, Northern Rail, Grand Final Play Offs? We certainly don't get all the weekends off when subsequent rounds are played. They players are often brought in for training to make sure that they're not having too much fun. But usually we'll get one weekend to have a break and feel sorry for ourselves at missing out on a big event.

One year there was a BBQ at Keith Senior's house. Me and another wife who shall remain nameless decided to have a nosy round his house. We got our just desserts when his massive rottweiler bounded out of one room to protect his territory from the sticky beak intruders. Busted! I have rarely been so embarrassed.

Last year we went out of the Carnegie Challenge Cup rather early, thanks to Saint Helens. Quite a few of us ended up booking a weekend at Center Parcs. Is seems other Superleague teams were like-minded. We bumped into Richard Agar and the Huddersfield Giants' doctor among others. It was like a losers convention in the subtropical swimming paradise.

I have watched the Challenge Cup Final in various dreary B&B lounges on the west and east coasts and would always have much rather been watching the spectacle in the shadow of Wembley's two towers (or arch thing as it is these days) than the Blackpool Tower.

This year, as I click on 'publish post', this is still a possibility for me and my Leeds Rhinos. Here's hoping for zero chance of a holiday til November.

I wonder if Coleen has to keep warm in the car outside Old Trafford?

This weekend is a Challenge Cup weekend. Leeds Rhinos played Blackpool Panthers and won. I thought I'd take this chance to give you a bit of an insight into what the players families get up to on a matchday because in rugby league it's not all VIP seating and private boxes.

The players have to be at the match a few hours before kick off. Some of the partners and kids have to go at the same time because they might not have two cars and because the parking at the ground is not good. Last night Keith Senior's girlfriend had to sit in the car with the heating on for ages because it was a cold one.

For an 8pm kick off I have to start organising at about 4pm. For my two year old I have to take toys, changing stuff, DVD player for the hour's drive, food, pyjamas and a bottle.

Yesterday Kylie Leuluai's wive gave birth to their second child. They haven't got family here at the moment so the girls rallied round to look after their three year-old son at the game while his mum was still in hospital. He was missing her but seemed to be having lots of fun with the other kids too.

We don't have a private box or anything to watch the match in. There is a room we can go to at half time for coffees. Last night that was crazy. We have a lot of young children between us. Game of the night last night? To play 'pile on' with Willie Poaching's oldest boy, who is some sort of saint for putting up with being squished by about 10 preschoolers at a time.

My daughter LOVES Ronnie Rhino. He came to her birthday party! She waved at him loads last night and kept giving him the two thumbs up. This is something she has learnt this week. She also likes to dance along with the cheerleaders. We had mega tears last night on one occasion because she forgot to dance and only realised when they were running off. Fortunately we clocked up a big score so there were lots more opportunities to dance.

After the final whistle most of the families go in the bar. We then wait up to an hour for the boys to finish getting their post match physio and ice baths. My husband is the last out because he's Lord of Ice Bathing. Then I change my daughter ready for bed before leaving at about 11pm. We don't get home til midnight. Until this season my daughter used to fall asleep in the car on the way home but now she sticks it out.

Grandparents are a Godsend for the partners who're from the UK. The girls who're from Australia and New Zealand? I don't know how they do it. But you can usually tell when their families are over for a trip as they have a spring in their step, a twinkle in their eye, and can actually have a 'date night' with the hubbies.

So during the football World Cup this summer, when you see the WAGS spending their days in the designer boutiques and their nights in A-list cocktail bars spare a thought for us keeping warm with the car heater, walking a mile from the car park and only getting a night out twice a year when we can get the child care to pop over from the other side of the world!

Don't forget though - we wouldn't change it for a second.