The rugby was great but I don't want to speak about that

My heartfelt thanks to Tim and his wonderful friends for making us (Barry, one of my oldest friends and I) have a wonderful day at Twickenham, where he treated us to a fab lunch and then a ringside seat at the rugby match, and then drinks afterwards. Thank you.

I guess we'll have enough time, the next coming weeks to talk rugby, so this is not so much about the game, but a glaring observation, well two.

Large swathes of seats remained unoccupied. Why? If the RFU/ men in suits are truly serious about sport and its interest for the young, I can't see why free tickets weren't given out to youngsters (all now on summer hols).

Ok someone's going to raise the spectre of how much they would have lost doing that. Think for a minute! Ah you get the logic. The seats were empty. And it was a friendly.

Hail the thinking of disciples from the open Source Movement. Give version 1 away and if we're wowed, we will come back for version 2 and yes, pay.

There might have been scores of youngsters who would have loved to come, even if some of them had never seen a match in their lives. I was sat behind one 7/8 year old who knew more than the ref. I have got him on audio and will post for your delectation.

Secondly, what a wonderful idea these Ref Links are. Essentially they're limited radio transmissions you buy giving you the Ref's chatter during the game.

"Oy you I have had enough of you. One more of those I'm giving a penalty"

"You, leave it, leave it.. leeeeeavvve it (posted on viewmagazine.tv)

And occasionally, you'll hear: "Yes sir".

Now that's gentlemanly. Why can't they a) have ref links in football (soccer) and secondly, why can't they be equally polite, after pole-axing their opponents.

direction of the director

Busy day tomorrow, Twickenham to watch England vs France - Ruggers ie Rugby. A truly good friend of mine has comp tickets for the match. It's going to be a truly heroic one. England are in good form but France their old nemesis won't give an inch.

Barry, my buddy and I have just shared a good laugh; the last time we went to a match. It was South Africa against Brazil when we lived in Johannesburg.

We got there late so the only way to get to our seats was to run across the pitch, with some 40,000 people seated waiting for the national anthem.

"Man, please what ever you do don't trip", I said.

Ruggers is one of those Brit affairs. My US friends always tutut when I bring it up. "Hey man, there's Rugby and real football", they add.

Yep even David Beckam has learnt to call the lesser known sport, soccer @!&*

But Football? My most memorable recollection, somewhere in the 80s. Marcus Allen, playing for the LA Rangers. I'm a dirt poor student watching the game, when the electricity cuts.

It ran on 50 pence piece slots; you know a bit like finding a dime. Point is I didn't have one, so I sat watching this blank screen, screaming quitely.

Superbowl receiver-play touch downs. It still hurts today ( David gedda life!)

After Ruggers we're off to add to the Bourne's coffers. It's already grossed the GDP of Russia. But here's where I go to school again.

Film school, journalism practice class, they all help, but nothing beats watching a film and trying to get into the head of the director, such that you anticipate shots and angles.

Greengrass, the director, has one of those fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants styles, so I don't expect a mind meld. But it can be fun or annoying.

Often it means I'll watch a film again; on DVD to enjoy its scond time around. That said very few films have me returning again and again to look at the superb cinematography and direction.

The more recent ones include: Black Hawk Down, Man o Fire, A river Runs Through it (great Fly fishing shots) and Bourne Supremacy. Tomorrow I'll most likely add Ultimatum to my list.

DC and during an interview with former CIA boss James Woolsey I ask him about Spy Films: "What does he think?"

Woolsey: "Oh they're nothing near what we do".

Guess the audience cares very little about that.