KELLY’S EYE ON RUGBY: Jonny Boatman back for West, give Stuart Lancaster a break

Kelly’s Eye is not even sure if that particular brew is still coming out of the pumps, but it was the first thing that came into my usually empty mind when I heard Jonny Boatman had pulled on his boots again and inserted his gumshield.

For those of a certain vintage, the McEwan’s Best Scotch TV commercial started with an Army deserter turning up at a Tyneside pub for a pint of his beloved ale.

It ended with a Military Policeman at the end of the bar complete with the said catchphrase.

Basically, the lad could not keep away and the same goes for Jonny Boatman.

It is less than six months since Kelly’s Eye said adios to the West Hartlepool back row forward.

This columnist must admit that I have penned some total rubbish some weeks (what do you mean only some?) but that wasn’t one of them.

Boatman gave West sterling service and he could play a bit. A lot in fact.

Jonny was answering an SOS on Saturday from West. Their centres had dropped like flies ahead of the toughest task of the season so far – a trip to Pocklington.

Doubtless it was younger sibling Dan leaning on his brother’s retired 33-year-old frame. Dan is West’s captain and clearly a persuasive man.

Jonny said yes and produced a storming performance alongside Peter Youll in the midfield.

Such a situation may well have been the catalyst for West to produce an incredible effort, ending the 100 per cent home record of Pock with a 15-5 victory at Feathers Field.

Unless you are an Ian Botham or a Joe Calzaghe, most retirements invariably end in a comeback.

Will Jonny play again? Who knows?

He showed guts to come out cold – and play in the backs! It could have gone horribly wrong given his ring-rust, but he put his body on the line for team and club.

He’s a great example to all at Brinkburn.

If it is to be his final last-ever swansong, what a way to sign off.

TALKING of dragging people out onto the field on a Saturday afternoon brings me on to the subject of Boys Brigade Old Boys.

After two years of constant success, BBOB are finding life a struggle this season.

So much so that at the weekend they had to make the call all club secretaries dread, ring the opposition and league to say they were crying off.

Just six months after being involved in a titanic Durham Junior Cup final against Barnard Castle, Brigade could not get a side to go to Barney in Durham Northumberland Two.

Hopefully, BBOB can turn things around. You won’t find a better-run club, the guys who control Brigade are the best about.

But the players need to give them and their club a hand.

Granted, it has not been the easiest of seasons – losing players of the calibre of Andrew and Gareth Foreman would weaken any side.

Brigade are just three points off the relegation zone but they do have some gifted players and a great club spirit.

They now need to marry the two together. Good luck fellas.

ON the subject of good luck, Kelly’s Eye sends those two words to England head coach Stuart Lancaster.

It’s England v Samoa this Saturday in the third of the QBE Autumn International series.

It’s a match you suspect England need a performance AND result, just to shut up the critics.

Kelly didn’t see the 31-28 defeat to South Africa on Saturday but saw Sir Clive Woodward’s rather straight, almost blunt, analysis and condemnation of Lancaster and his strategy on Sky and in the Mail on Sunday.

“We keep getting close on the scoreboard but in the cold light of day there is still a gap,” Woodward wrote in the Mail, not this one!

“The England coaches have got to be more clear on how they see England playing the game.”

But I don’t understand what the panic is.

The World Cup is still a year away and if England need or want to experiment, tinker, whatever you want to call it, now is the time.

Clive was lucky back in 2002-03. He had an unbelievable team which, pretty much, picked itself. He also had the best stand-off on the planet who could win a game almost on his own.

Lancaster hasn’t got that. But he has some outstanding talent which is still being moulded into what will hopefully become a fantastic side.

Let him get on with it in these matches which don’t ultimately matter.