XVS

The Western Mail revealed earlier this month, plans are on the table to expand Welsh rugby's second tier to 16 teams next season to bump up the fixture list should Premiership Select XVs compete in the British and Irish Cup instead of club sides.

I missed XVs, the contact, the team environment and I always seem drawn back to Birmingham.

Kristy Giteau, 30, the older sister of current Toulon utility back and Matt, 29 -- who has notched up 92 Test caps and 671 points for the Australian men's XVs side since 2002 -- is hoping she can emulate her brother's success as she takes part in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens' first IRB-sanctioned Women's Challenge Cup.

Durham School is hosting the four-team Round Robin next Saturday which will also feature first XVs from schools in Rugby in Warwickshire, Cheltenham in Gloucestershire and Sherborne, Dorset.

COLLEGIATE first and second XVs took massive steps towards back to back promotions on Saturday.

But Gollings says the urge to rush him back into the England XVs side should be resisted.

It was really enjoyable, but so hot - it was 39 degrees, and I've not played XVs in that kind of heat before!"

Kelvinside Academy will meet Glasgow Academy and the first XVs - kitted out in the collarless jerseys of that time - will play at Balgray on Saturday morning.

Last season Woodrush and their near neighbours Kings Norton and Five Ways OE joined forces to set up an informal player pool to produce combined third and fourth XVs and this latest development is bound to revive merger discussions between some of the clubs.

On Saturday Endrick are again at home, both 1st and 2nd XVs meeting their opposite numbers from Irvine.

On August 25 Aldridge will field two sides against Help for Heroes XVs to raise money for the charity.