Seniormash Reflections Podcast

I start walking alone along the promenade, right at the beach edge where the concrete meets sand and the tide leaves its temporary signatures - thin, silvered streams tracing patterns that will be gone by morning.The sea is calm, the horizon straight and reassuring. The breakwater stretches out in patient blocks of stone, engineered certainty against the Mediterranean’s moods. The marina beyond glints with white hulls and tall masts. Nothing looks disturbed. Nothing looks urgent.Walking alone here feels intentional. There is space to think. The rhythm of shoes on concrete replaces conversation. The air carries salt and pine; with some notes of eucalyptus.Ahead, beneath the trees, a couple sit in folding chairs angled toward the water. They are close enough to speak, far enough apart to be comfortable. They are not performing anything for the world; just occupying it. A quiet partnership framed by trees and blue.Further along sits the beach bar, shuttered up with a flimsy blue tarpaulin, no tables stacked, the season not quite awake. It looks like it is hibernating; waiting for noise, for music, for glasses clinking with the summer heat. Today it is still. But just beside it, a family have made their own version of hospitality.A folding table stands on the sand. Towels are draped over chairs. Food is unwrapped. A child darts toward the water’s edge and back again, unable to decide whether to explore or stay near the gravity of adults. The bar may be closed, but life isn’t waiting for permission.I move on.The beach widens. The tide has retreated, leaving rippled sand and shallow pools that mirror the sky. And there, perfectly placed in her own deliberate distance, a lone woman reclines in a low chair. Hat tilted. Face turned toward the sun. No urgency. No need for company. The emptiness around her is not absence; it is chosen space.Everyone here has drawn their own invisible boundary.The couples choose companionship.The family chooses noise and ritual.The solitary sunbather chooses quiet warmth.I choose motion.And then, as the promenade curves back toward the marina, the geometry shifts.The breakwater boulders; those enormous stones stacked with such confidence, sit slightly out of alignment. It is subtle at first. Then the damage becomes visible.A wall has gone.White plaster lies fractured where it once marked someone’s edge between private and public. Concrete has cracked where stone pressed too hard, too long. After the storm, the sea nudged the very boulders meant to contain it. They shifted. And in shifting, they demolished the boundary behind them.It is not cinematic ruin. It is quiet evidence of pressure.The marina looks composed again. Boats rock gently. The sail-shaped harbour building stands clean against the sky. From a distance, nothing seems wrong.But up close, the story is written in displaced rock and broken plaster.The sea asserts itself. The town absorbs it. People return.By late afternoon, the couples remain under the pines. The family continue their picnic. The lone sunbather adjusts her chair slightly to follow the light. The promenade carries walkers like me along its edge.Living by the water is a negotiation. Protection is temporary. Boundaries are suggestions.Yet even after stone has moved and walls have fallen, people come back and quietly claim their patch of sand, their chair in the shade, their hour beside the tide.You walk.You pause.You rebuild if necessary.And then, once again, you find your space. It is not unique to Spain but yesterday that was my space. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

A Quiet, Reflective WeekA week ago today, my mum passed away, surrounded by her family at Croston Park Care Home.We find ourselves in Spain.Being here has allowed us the time and space to share thoughts with friends and with family. But it is the Mediterranean that has given those reflections their shape; meaningful, steady, and somehow exactly right.Mum’s funeral will be on Thursday the 19th of February, at 2pm, at Rufford Church.Until then, we will spend a little longer in Alcossebre.Walking along the coast. Watching the waves crash in. Looking north towards Peniscola and the lighthouse. Looking south towards the marina and the port.It’s at the port that some of my fondest memories live.Memories of my late father and mum, sitting together at a tapas bar called Lolli’s. They would speak English to Lolli, who spoke Spanish, and somehow it always worked. And at the end of the night, there would be Baileys; on the house. Not a shot, but a full brandy glass. A small ritual of warmth and generosity. Lovely, lovely memories.My sister, my nephews, my wife, and my son are each going through their own mourning for Mum. Their tributes and their words have been beautifully made and beautifully delivered; uplifting, thoughtful, and full of love.Back home, there has been an outpouring of sadness in our village of Rufford. Mum’s life and her memory will be celebrated there on the 19th.But for now, it is this coastline in Alcossebre that is offering comfort and inspiration. The steady rhythm of the sea. The light. The sense that even in loss, there is something solid to hold on to. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Sunday 24th January 2026 - an afternoon walk alongside Las Fuentes Beach before heading for a late lunch. What a great experience.An Italian inspired degustation in the close company of a charismatic chef.Alcossebre had seen rough seas for several days before; the beach bar that was in hibernation was flooded out. And yes, ‘there was rain in Spain’. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

A real interesting set of requests following on from the utility backs, box kicking and tactical kicking. Let’s see how these challenges can be addressed over the coming weeks.It is more National League Rugby and 6 Nations this week but a promise of humour, line outs and tales of Twickenham to come over the coming weeks This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

wheter, it is live, on the TV, being streamed or talked about on social media seniormash looks at it through a very different lens. It provides exclusive archive videography and photography; whilst using the rich backstories on www.talkingrugbyunion.co.ukThere is plenty to talk about so do subscribe This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Players who play in the highest leagues but those he has watched through school, university and 7s rugby. Some have maintained their selection others have been replaced as the season has developed and the 6 Nations has started. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

this week we are diving into the latest action across. #unirugby and BUCS Super Rugby and ensuring we are an authoritative voice for the Premiership Cup. More from the 6 Nations next week. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

get up to speed with the latest team news from the 6 countries that compete in the Guinness 6 Nations. Interesting views about the role of kicking that might surprise you. An appreciation of Under 20’s 6 Nations This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Respect for the team at Sedge Media and the Sedgley Park Tigers family; forever leading with new initiatives. Thanks to Facebook and Twitter for providing such an array of rugby union content and giving me the chance to reflect on it This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Chris Heal is the foremost rugby journalist covering National League Rugby in the UK. He combines this with his role in the TalkingRugbyUnion team whilst being a passionate Liverpool FC fan. Enjoy his conversation with SeniorMash Talking Rugby Union This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

in the US and around the world the last weekend will have been dominated by the SuperBowl. Against that rugby’s six nations kicked up a gear with tremendous performances from England, Ireland and Italy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Week 1 was a strange mix of results, with Ireland edging it for me as team of the week. Follow this weeks matches on free to air TV in Rome, London and Edinburgh. See which players to watch and my predictions. Enjoy your rugby This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

A different perspective on rugby union through the unique lens of @seniormash. Available on Substack and the You Tube channel of TalkingRugbyUnion. Normally the focus is National League Rugby but this week it is the 6 Nations influence the first week of the tournament. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Excitement mounts for regular rugby watchers but this time of year presents the sport with the opportunity to gain new fans. It is the week before the 6 nations commence and we are still blessed to have the competition on free to air; that in itself showcases the game to a host of new fans who can hopefully start to watch the game and their local clubs. There are a host of social media feeds that will provide predictions and analysis; this is an independent view of the sport of rugby union. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

my thoughts on squads for England and the B&I Lions undoubtedly have a few of my favourite players. Usually these are players that I have watched progress from their school days.Steve Borthwick and Mike Haley share the same school that I attended - both will be important figures in my success in getting predictions right. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Stars, weather and rugby on TV are the basis of what I have witnessed in the last 7 days with a magical sprinkling of 2022 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

New Years Eve was a day of continuous rain. Overnight it was raining and into the first morning of 2025, Rufford continued to experience raining. By 1.30pm there’s blue skies to the north and the west; with that it’s a walk to the River Douglas. Similar walks took place in September 2014, December 2015 and November 2019 to check out the river and more particularly ‘the dougie bridge’ It was only in 2014 that I discovered the bridge had a name; White Bridge.Here’s what I saw on this short walk. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

2015 photographs on my iPhone provide the material to trigger memories of what is so special about rugby. Rugby is not just a game. These photographs show camaraderie, humour, skill, determination and enjoyment. Whether you watched on TV or were down at your local club, you soon realise what rugby means. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

There is a rich history of football in the village of Rufford; early mentions from 1865 onwards, with the action becoming more formalised from the late 1880’s.The period 1945 to 1955 is most interesting and in someways iconic and historic; however this is not the only period that captures the imagination.The park at Rufford is clearly the ancestral home of football but it is disappointing the Rufford Park Rangers, newly reformed in 2018, were denied permission to make the park their home by the parish council. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

A full house for the northwest Christmas derby between Preston Grasshoppers and Fylde in National league 2. Poor conditions but a perfect pitch and rugby to warm the heart. Enjoy a take on live rugby and some wonderful photographs from the 2018 rchives. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Two of his favourites have continued to flourish playing for Glasgow and Munster. There is continued vacillation over preferences in the centres and in the back row. Recognition for Wales’ scrum half Williams after some standout performances in the Autumn Nations Series.The retirement of Joe Marler has necessitated a re-configuration of the front row. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

From Tarleton to Fylde via Bath University and Rouen, there are memories of what rugby can do for its players and its fans. More praise for Sedgemedia and Premier Sports. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Local rugby clubs need our support. IMHO this is best achieved by heading down to watch a match at your local rugby club in person. This week the focus is on how LiveStream can also support a club’s fan base and amplify its sponsors. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Sedgley Park Tigers have been an important part of my rugby viewing for the last 12 years. This week a special photo of my son and my Dad features alongside with other rugby memories from Bradford to Slovenia. And other members of my family feature in the photo archives. Watching TV the focus was Ireland, Australia and the try machine that is Johnny Matthews. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Erin Key and Carl Fearns lit up the weekend for me. Learn why in this week’s seniormash talking rugby union update. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Starting with Friday Nights under Lights in Dublin, I found myself under lights watching Paddy McGuinness and his Raleigh Chopper Bike at Rufford Park. Everywhere I turned over the past 7 days there are talking points about sport. Whether it is grassroots or international sport, the importance of supporting sport in person cannot be understated.At my local park, I discovered the local Rufford Parish Council are removing the goal posts for ‘health & safety’ reasons.Grassroots sport needs support and encouragement; this weekly review is my best effort to support and promote rugby union. This weekend the thoughts are all about what I witnessed on TV and on social media This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

England at Twickenham and at Headingley but from my armchair. So thoughts about shirts, magic moments, cohesion and substitutions. A longer chat than normal. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Starting in September I put together a list of my favourite professional rugby players who could be contenders for the 2025 B&I Lions tour of Australia. Every month, I will update based on my review of games.Some of my favourites will be hard to shift but in this second installment, four have been substituted.Enjoy my squad This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

From watching live rugby at Sedgley Park to researching newspaper archives for reflections on sport, a completely new lens on rugby union every week.Exclusive video of try scoring, combined with extracts from the world of rugby and social media. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

A visit to a National One game to watch Plymouth Albion. In great conditions the away side dominated the first 15 minutes but saw the energy nullified, thanks to an amazing 12 minute period of defence by the home team, Sedgley Park, just leading up to half time.See my video footage and learn more about the other rugby i experienced this week. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

The Betfred Super League Grand Final was played out at one of the most iconic sports venues in the world - Old Trafford. Wigan Warriors managed to conduct the presentation of shirts with help from Sir Alex Ferguson.Over in Dublin, Leinster played Munster at Croke Park. A world famous venue and the home of GAA.By using venues like this, 150,000 spectators were able to watch Live Rugby. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

Rugby Union was having its own debate in 1880 on how to get people to watch rugby in the metropolis. With technology at our fingertips how can we make rugby union a go to for sports fans.Learn some lessons from the NFL? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

How much would you pay for a rugby ball in 1899 in Liverpool; well this week that information is available. The new season of #unirugby is upon us and the coverage gets better and better. My favourite result saw an historic victory for Ireland’s women - awesomePleased to see some of my soft spots shining through, particularly Bath University This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

This weekend saw the Big Guns back in action. I attempt to capture what this means for rugby everywhere.I talk rugby in terms of my concerns over how the RFU use their socials for the good of all rugbyAnd of course Johnny Matthews scored a try for Glasgow Warriors This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit markashcroft.substack.com