Sunday Social: Christmas messages, songs and bloopers

David Skippers

It is time for Planet Rugby’s Sunday Social, your quirky recap of the serious and not so serious talking points from the past week’s action.

We begin in New Zealand where there was plenty of Christmas spirit amongst the Moana Pasifika players, who sent out messages to their fans for the festive period.

With it being Christmas yesterday, the BT Sport team just had to remind us of this classic retort from Ben Kay to Austin Healey.

While the BallCarrier guys came up with this innovative Christmas XV.

They also used this Bakkies Botha comparison to illustrate the pre and after effects of a Christmas meal.

Like the former Bok enforcer, it looks like England hooker Jamie Blamire also loves a big meal.

With Newcastle Falcons’ Boxing Day match against Sale Sharks being cancelled, Falcons’ press officer’s Christmas plans were disrupted when news broke of the Covid positives in the Sale camp.

Elsewhere, England and Harlequins front-row Joe Marler sent a special Christmas message to his club’s fans ahead of their Big Game against Northampton Saints.

Another former England and Quins great, Will Carling, had his ego dented when he went down to the supermarket, judging from this story.

Earlier in the week, Bangor Rugby Club’s players hit the headlines when they braved the winter chill to go topless while raising money for charity by singing Christmas carols. Well done, guys!

Meanwhile, there was plenty to laugh about with these Rugby World Cup bloopers. There are some famous names in this video.

We end in Uganda where Stanbic Pirates’ players also broke into song to celebrate Christmas.