RUGBY: When a man's in a tight corner he needs a mate

ANENDRA SINGH It could have been a difficult situation for David Potter this weekend.
If the 46-year-old from Havelock North wins the Telecom Virtual Rugby competition he will win a prize of tickets for two to the Hong Kong Sevens next year.
The problem is does he take his wife, Sarah, or his 80-year-old mother, Margaret, of Wellington.
"They are both mad-keen on sports,". he told SportToday.
However, his mother has been the main inspiration behind his picks. Potter sits in third place of the Virtual World Rugby leaderboard on 309 points, one behind insurance employee Radhika Komalla, of Auckland, with retired grandfather Jim Vince, of Christchurch, setting the pace on 315 points out of 140,000 hopefuls.
It's the first time Potter has taken part in the competition after his friend and Otaki schoolteacher Frank Van Kampen, of Waikanae, urged him to give it a go this season.
Unfortunately, the virile Air New Zealand Cup Air New Zealand Cup and the inconspicuous AA Rewards Heartland Championship matches have proved harder for Potter to predict. He sits in 1300 position out of 108,000 players. So who will Potter take to Hong Kong?
"Neither," the bathroom salesman replied. "I'll take Frank and they (his mother and wife) can fight it out among themselves while we're away."
Potter is adamant that Sarah, who is English, and who has understandably backed the English all the way, will not "interfere with my thoughts" in the final pick for the England versus South Africa match tomorrow in Saint-Denis, France (8am).
"I've worked it out that I'm a few points behind the leader so I'll have to take a punt to make up six points and get it exactly right or else I'll miss out."
The players score five points for picking the winning team but can nail a maximum of eight points if they get the score within the margin of 1-12 or 13+.
"I know the other two will play it conservatively."
Potter said he had not taken the competition seriously until he discovered a fortnight ago, while in 99th position, that the Hong Kong trip was up for grabs.
His mother, who has raised nine children, sits in front of her TV at her Wellington home and watches the games in an All Black beanie and scarf. His brother, Mark, 52, has flown in from Sydney to watch the World Cup with her.
"Mum lives and breathes rugby. In fact, she's a walking encyclopaedia when it comes to any sport," he said of Margaret, who watches just One Network News and the SkySport channel.
For the record, Margaret picks the Springboks to win and the French to win the third-place play-off against Argentina. She backed the English all the way but not in pool play against the Springboks.
"I'm okay with France but I've got until 10 tonight to pick the champions. I'll phone her up later."