Room 101: Kane Palma-Newport – Bath prop

1.Not defending mauls
Not defending a maul – and trying to get something from the opposition without directly engaging them immediately after a lineout – is cowardly in my opinion. You see more and more teams standing back and it just doesn’t look right. As a front- row forward mauling is something I enjoy. Rugby is a physical game and no-one should shy away from the physical challenge. You’d get absolutely pilloried if you jumped out of the way of a tackle!
TRP verdict: The maul the merrier in our book.
2.Bath‘s roadworks
I appreciate maintenance work needs to be done on our road network to make sure surfaces are safe etc. But why all at the same time and from all corners of the city? There are four main routes in and out of Bath, and at the moment all four are undergoing major roadworks. Wouldn’t it make sense to do one road, finish the job, and then do another? It is causing absolute havoc with the traffic, which, in Bath, is not great at the best of times.
TRP verdict: Bollards to this! You’re in again.
3.Winter
Thankfully spring seems to have sprung, and life is all the better for it. When it’s winter and the days are short and the nights draw in everyone seems to be moody and stressed out. Life seems to get on top of everyone. But it’s amazing what a bit of sunshine can do for the mood of a place. The sun’s rays turn the famous Bath stone into a lovely honeycomb colour, and all the old Georgian buildings seem to glow. When you go out on a night there’s a better vibe, too, people are chilled and everywhere seems busier. Summer rugby would be great. Instead of layers of skins, you could hang out in a T-shirt and shorts. I’d probably be out of a job because the game would be a lot quicker but I think the fans would love it.
TRP verdict: Keep your beard on, sunshine, that’s 3 out of 3!