By Andrew Reynolds

As we take a break for the first games in the British and Irish Cup, you would expect that the league would be taking shape after the first 6 rounds?

Newcastle and Bedford sit at the top and are due to meet in a few weeks time; both remain unbeaten although Bedford and Rotherham shared the spoils with a 38-38 draw.

But look below them and there are a few surprises. Nottingham in 3rd, Plymouth sit in 4th great to see them back in the mix after their financial worries of last season, followed by Leeds and Rotherham, OK no real surprise there, but where are Bristol and Cornish Pirates? 8th and 9th with only two wins each, who would have thought that of last season’s Semi and Finalists?

By Andy Reynolds

Well if nothing else no-one can say the closed season has been quiet; the RFU have been at the centre of most things.

Firstly the shambles over London Welsh and their promotion to the top flight; what a great day it was for them and their fans, but also rugby in general, when they won the appeal. I’m no legal expert but their argument was around UK and EU competition laws, nothing to do with the criteria of the ground, so let’s hope that whoever wins the final come May there will be no messing around and if the club want to be promoted they will be!

After an agonising wait, London Welsh finally know their fate. The news was broken on Twitter with some confusion as to whether reports were true because neither the RFU or the clubs involved had been informed of the official result.

The decision means that London Welsh will play top flight rugby next season with Dean Richards' Newcastle Falcons being relegated having finished bottom of the Aviva Premiership.