Room 101: Junior Fatialofa – Cornish Pirates centre

1. Long Team Meetings
I’m not a fan of long, drawn out team meetings. While I understand that coaches have to preview the opposition and review our own team performances surely they don’t have to go on for up to an hour-and-a-half? It is way beyond the average rugby player’s attention span and it can’t be any good for you to be sat still for so long when often you’ve got to go out and train straight afterwards. The team meeting room is normally darkly lit and humid, making it the ideal environment for the eyes to become heavy and, on occasion, send you to sleep. Not wanting to mention any names but when I was at Bristol Mariano Sambucetti was caught having a nap by the coach. When the lights came back on he was asked for his feedback and to everyone’s amazement he pretty much nailed all the answers even though he was clearly winging it!
TRP verdict:  You snooze, you lose. You’re out
2. Coach Trips
Penzance is pretty much the last stop before you reach Land’s End so we have to endure some of the longest bus journeys on the circuit – every other week. It takes two hours to get out of Cornwall alone, as the A30 is probably the most unpredictable stretch of road you’ll ever come across. The most frustrating journey we’ve had this season was London Scottish away. We left at 8.00am, got stuck in traffic just outside Penzance for two-and-a-half hours before finally arriving at our destination, via Bristol, at 5.30pm. It is funny how all the boys will do anything it takes on these trips to get a double seat all to themselves. Our bus is usually split into Gamers, Gamblers, Oldies – the grumpy old men who pretty much moan all the way – and the Dads, who love the chance to catch up on some shut eye on the bus and then enjoy a night of peace and quiet away from the kids in the team hotel.
TRP verdict:  Take the National Express route into Room 101.
3. Council Tax
I understand why we need to pay Council Tax, as it is used to provide local services. But £100 per month to empty the rubbish once a fortnight…surely that’s too much? And if you dare put the wrong kind of cardboard in the bin for recycling they’ll even refuse to take the rubbish away!
TRP verdict:  Please no more trash talk. But you’re in anyway.