Loft is a solo conceived and performed by Toni Mira, director of Nats Nus Dansa. A strongly built man, Mira is, on this showing, a dance-actor rather than one for technical display, although he is lithe enough, and mixes a few jumps in with his more floor-based pacings, rollings and crawlings. All very international, and the next show in the same venue was from Barcelona. Hemmed in by the darkness on an empty stage, they are forced into a dangerous intimacy.An original piece of dance theatre, by performers from Japan, Bulgaria and Italy, in a company based in the Czech Republic. There is variety in movement as well as mood, developed not in conventional dance style but through steps and gestures.

This effect is not achieved by heavy-handed acting, rather by the qualities they deliver, whether through personality or movement.They dance so compellingly that it was a real surprise when a piano suddenly burst in, and I realised how long the dancers had been moving in silence. I like the way these people operate."Ireland, meanwhile, have lost John Hayes who has been forced to withdraw from the match against Italy on Saturday. "Neil Back is also outstanding, and West is the same sort of character. If that leaves Dorian West of Leicester, this weekend's captain, up against it, there were no words to that effect from the coach."Leicester have a track record of producing outstanding captains, from my playing days when Peter Wheeler led the side, to the present with Martin Johnson, certainly the best captain in the world," Woodward went on. Steve Thompson, probably the form hooker in the international game, is hardly at risk, while Mark Regan of Leeds performed magnificently in Cardiff last weekend before giving best to injury. I'm still not sure about the rest, though, so this is a tremendous match for us on Saturday.

No team has ever beaten the French in Marseille."Should England opt to fly out with five props, they may be tempted to gamble on a two-man hooking contingent - one fewer than is considered prudent. "It's obvious that 20 or so players have already booked their place in the World Cup 30 - I'm not going to name them all, but most of the guys who played over in New Zealand and Australia in June will be going. Woodward also indicated that four of Saturday's back division - Austin Healey, Iain Balshaw, Ollie Smith and Paul Grayson - had points to prove, and were far from "on the plane"."The most important thing is that I'm very clear about what I'm doing," the coach continued. Steve Borthwick, Bath's line-out specialist, is in a similar boat, for the second-row logjam is close to M25 proportions. Woodward admitted that three of the back-row quintet had effectively been pre-selected before the current series of warm-up games, which continues with the first of two full-blooded Tests against France in Marseille on Saturday night: Lawrence Dallaglio, Richard Hill and Neil Back, the longest-serving and hardest-wearing breakaway trio in English rugby history.With Joe Worsley and Lewis Moody also in good shape to travel, Martin Corry of Leicester must deliver the best 80 minutes of his career at Stade Velodrome this weekend. But he has successfully kept his cards close to his chest in the run-up to the final selection for the forthcoming World Cup in Australia - Fleet Street's finest still cannot work out whether he will pick four props or five, which makes them no threat to Woodward and Bernstein - so the bulletin from a sweltering south of France yesterday was of uncommon interest. The England coach confirmed that five specialist loose forwards and four locks would head for Perth, thereby undermining the hopes of those players who were banking on a utility man or two making the cut and freeing up the odd position elsewhere. Clive Woodward is not one of life's more obvious poker players; whenever the temperature rises, his innermost thoughts and feelings tend to head straight for the surface.

The 25-year-old will strengthen Bath's back row which has been hit by injuries to Gareth Delve and Adam Vander, but he can also operate at lock where he might be needed to cover for Steve Borthwick and Danny Grewcock should they make England's World Cup squad.. I want to continue and build on the success we have already gained."Bath's busy summer in the transfer market continued today with the signing of former Australia Under-21 back-rower Scott Gray in a one-year deal.Gray arrives at the Recreation Ground after a year-long spell with the Australian rugby league side the Brisbane Broncos, but his roots are in union and his CV includes a stint with the ACT Brumbies. We have also signed new contracts with Steve Carter and Simon Middleton to complete our coaching team."Davies said: "Our achievements last year were a tremendous credit to the team and the players' efforts. In our recruitment policy this summer we have tried to bring in young, exciting players who will give us longevity. However, last season saw a dramatic improvement as Davies guided his side to fifth in the league and a Heineken Cup place.The out-of-contract first team coach Jon Callard has also extended his stay at Headingley, settling a new two-year deal.The Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington said: "We have recognised the tremendous impact our entire coaching team have had on our success and we are delighted that Phil and Jon have agreed to their new deals. Leeds have agreed a new contract with director of rugby Phil Davies that will keep the former Wales international at Headingley until 2007.