TURNING 21 later this year, `professional rugby' truly came of age with England's decision to appoint Dylan Hartley as their captain.
That, for the avoidance of any doubt, is not meant as approval of this selection.
Indeed, for the home of the oval ball game to turn to this thug as their figurehead on the pitch is a damning indictment of their desperation for success, clear evidence that, in the professional era, the desire for victory over-rides any standards of decency or good behaviour.
Unlike the rugby authorities, who talk of him 'making contact with the [insert body part here] area', I don't believe I have to deploy a euphemism other than 'thug' to describe the odious Hartley.
The facts are that he is a gouging, head-butting, biting, elbowing, striking, official-abusing thug.
His rap sheet is longer than a line-out; his misdemeanours have already made him miss two Rugby World Cups and a Lions tour, including the most recent of both of those.
So it's not as if he made a few mistakes in his youth and has learned his lessons.
Admittedly his first major crime was his worst, making contact with the eye of [i.e gouging] Wasps forwards James Haskell and Johnny O'Connor in April 2007, which earned him a 26-week ban and ruled him out of that year's World Cup.
He did seem to keep his nose clean (and his fingers out of people's eyes) for a number of years after seeing a sports psychiatrist, but his dirty streak has re-emerged in recent years (or maybe he has just been found out better by match officials and TV cameras).
In March 2012 he received an eight-week ban after biting Ireland forward Stephen Ferris during a Six Nations match. He further endeared himself to Ulster supporters by punching Rory Best in a Heineken Cup game in December of that year.
In May 2013 he was sent off in the English Premiership final for verbally abusing a match official, which meant he was not selected with the Lions to go to Australia.
In December 2014 'his elbow made contact with' the nose of Leicester winger Matt Smith.
In May 2015 he was found guilty of 'making contact with the head of' [i.e. head-butting] Saracens hooker Jamie George. After some deliberations, the then England coach Stuart Lancaster did not select Hartley for the World Cup; with delightful irony, his place in the England training squad went to George.
In total, he has been banned for more than a year (54 weeks, to be exact).
Despite all these offences, England kept picking Hartley. In fact he's now their most-capped player, with 66 appearances.
When England decided to go for a clean slate by bringing in Eddie Jones as coach, the first stipulation they should have made was that the dirty Hartley would no longer be selected.
Although his supporters say that Hartley has generally behaved well in an England jersey (apart from biting one of Ferris's fingers), his actions in recent times suggest that he remains a liability.
Rugby is a rough, tough sport, but there's a big difference between physicality and cynical nastiness.
Hookers have to bend over and go down low. The RFU should be utterly ashamed that they have done the same.
THERE'S a certain irony that the GAA's packed fixtures calendar may lead its top players to participate in high-risk sports.
Tyrone defender Aidan McCrory went away for a week's skiing earlier this month, and he has also been snowboarding in the past.
Most professional sportspeople (apart from skiers and snowboarders) would be contractually banned from such activities, so of course it's good that amateurs are still able to enjoy winter sports.
Errigal Ciaran clubman McCrory explained why he missed the McKenna Cup Final (and the semi-final): "It's one of the few times in the year we can manage to get the time off. We got clearance to get away for a week."
McCrory also has the benefit of being one of Tyrone's established players, sixth on the list of most Championship appearances for the Red Hands since his SFC debut in 2012. Having said that, he still started all three group games in the McKenna Cup.
Younger players trying to break through into a starting side might be less willing to go away, even in January, taking every opportunity to impress a manager and earn a hotly-contested place on a panel.
It's difficult for any GAA players with All-Ireland ambitions to get away at other times of the year.
The McKenna Cup (or other pre-season competitions) leads into the National League, with the possibility of semi-finals and/or finals in mid to late April.
There's not much of a break before the Championships begin and if your county does well in those you'll aim/ expect to be playing on into August. The best, of course, will feature in September.
Even players from those counties whose Championship campaigns are over by the end of June (or early July in senior hurling) are then likely to be involved with their clubs through the summer.
Do well with your club and you will be playing on into October, November for the provincial championships, and possibly even December if you manage to reach a provincial final.
Some counties even have to squeeze in the O Fiaich Cup in December – which is where McCrory's season started…
I NEVER worked with the late Micheal McGeary but I met him on many occasions and he was always enjoyable company.
Like most journalists from Armagh, the Maghery man often complained about his county's performances – but he always did so with a twinkle in his eye.
Indeed his smile was never far away on any occasion, as he found humour when others were moaning about some situation. Yet when it was required, he could also offer sensible, thoughtful advice.
Micheal will be sadly missed, and deepest sympathy is extended to his family and friends.
