My previous column was called "A Southerner in League" but as I have recently moved 40 minutes north into Lincolnshire this latest series has been re-branded as Behind Enemy Lines.
I suppose any game of rugby league that I go to where the Catalans aren't playing is going to be judged as such, although I have to say such was the experience at the Princes Royal Sports Arena, that this will become my regular haunt away from Perpignan.
The match last Saturday pitched the home side, the Boston Buccaneers with the brilliantly named visitors, Sherwood Forest Wolf Hunt.
The illusion of hardened rugby players lugging tree trucks around the forest was soon shattered by another spectator who told me "they are called Sherwood Forest, but we all know they are from Mansfield..."
They kept up appearances by wearing Lincoln green (along with red which made them look like a South Sydney side who rob from the rich to give to the poor!).
Entry was free and the bar was busy with a good selection of drinks in a plastic cup for pitch side consumption.
The match kicked off with a knock on from the visiting full back and you would have been forgiven for thinking this would be indicative of the match quality.
Far from it.
80 minutes later the game was 30-32 to the visitors but Boston had scored their second try in the last five minutes to give themselves a kick to tie it.
Despite having made some impressive conversions from pretty tight angles, the kick was missed and the visitors had claimed a hard earned and brilliantly contested win.
I have one simple sentance to close this piece... and it is something that the RFL should read, absorb and use.
"Give grassroots rugby league a try, you wont regret it"
You can follow the Buccaneers by visiting their website.
https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/bostonbuccaneersrlfc
