I’LL start off by congratulating London Irish hooker Dave Porecki on his hat-trick in their 59-5 thumping of Hartpury on Sunday – he can’t remember scoring one before so well done to him.

Exiles proved far too good as they recorded a fifth straight RFU Championship Cup victory, ensuring they’ll have a home quarter-final in the new year.

They’ll be looking to complete an unbeaten Group Three campaign when they visit Cornish Pirates on Saturday, though it won’t be an easy test.

Meanwhile, Rams continue to motor at the top of National Two South, albeit they were made to work hard in a 26-19 home win against Clifton.

It was a 13th victory from 14 games and moved them 10 points clear at the summit.

There’s no reason to suppose anything will change prior to the New Year as this weekend they visit second-bottom Birmingham & Solihull before hosting cellar-dwellers London Irish Wild Geese the following Saturday.

As for my boys Reading, we got a crucial 38-30 Southern Counties North victory at home to High Wycombe.

We were trailing by a point at half time, but three tries in 20 minutes turned the game on its head as the likes of half-backs Nick Burch and Alex Murray Smith impressed.

Luke Burns also played well at full back, centre George Dear got on the scoresheet and No. 8 Rob Cunningham had a huge game including scoring twice.

The win lifts us to third-bottom and we’ll never have a better chance to record back-to-back wins as we visit rock bottom Littlemore this Saturday.

They are winless from 10 games and have a points difference of -463, so while we’ll have to be at the races, hopefully we can come away with another bonus-point success.

Reading Abbey are one place ahead of us and showed some positive signs despite losing 36-27 to third-placed Buckingham.

They visit High Wycombe this coming Saturday in what should be a fairly even encounter.

Lastly, Berkshire Shire Hall were another side to feel the pangs of defeat as, for a second time this season, they collapsed against county rivals Aldermaston, going down 41-5.

In their opening game back in September they had also fallen foul of their visitors, 43-12, so it’s been a double disappointment. They don’t have another game this year, so they can enjoy Christmas and return to action on January 5 when Chipping Norton are their Sonning Lane visitors.