PETER JACKSON

THE numbers - 70, 71, 76, 80, 85 - could be misconstrued as a rising tide of support for Boris Johnson’s absurd reinstatement as PM. Mercifully, they represent the tidal wave of points flooding through the first five rounds of the Gallagher Premiership.When Super Rugby began generating high aggregate scores more than a decade ago, many pundits this side of the Equator dismissed it as ‘basketball’ rugby. Now such results (Exeter 43, Harlequins 42; London Irish 47, Bath 38) are being widely cited as proof that the English domestic game has never be...