![SpongeBob glad of his place in the Oldies XV](https://cdn.magzter.com/1351005036/1719101264/articles/6yVVp4kxe1719251552993/SPONGEBOB-GLAD-OF-HIS-PLACE-IN-THE-OLDIES-XV.jpg)
The Baby Black untouchables, a status reflected in their collective tournament record of 274 points over five matches, have grown old enough to be middle-aged. They are in their early forties now, their playing days all long gone except for the one they used to call ‘SpongeBob.’
Jimmy Gopperth’s marathon, already long enough to outstrip every Olympian emperor of endurance from Emil Zatopek to Haile Gebrselassie, shows no sign of ending. By the neatest of coincidences, this Thursday’s 20th anniversary of Jerome Kaino’s kids cleaning up in Glasgow also marks Gopperth’s 41st birthday.
A fortnight or so later, he will be back on the treadmill warming up for a second season with Aix-en-Provence. Far from sending their evergreen Kiwi off towards the sunset, his employers thought highly enough of his first season’s work to renew his contract for another.
It will be the 23rd of his professional life for old SpongeBob SquarePants, so-called because the squareness of his shoulders reminded a few team-mates of the-then newly-created cartoon character. Even for all the commercial success of his life on the ocean seabed, the original SpongeBob is due to resurface soon for his 15th season which puts him a long way behind his rugby namesake.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 23, 2024 من The Rugby Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 23, 2024 من The Rugby Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
![Terrific Toulouse go on the rampage](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1686/1750016/-R9o7so801719815820656/TERRIFIC-TOULOUSE-GO-ON-THE-RAMPAGE.jpg)
Terrific Toulouse go on the rampage
WE DIDN'T just lose the arm wrestle - we had our wrists broken under the table,\" Bordeaux boss Yannick Bru admitted, graphically, after watching his side fall to a record 59-3 Top 14 final defeat at the hands of an irrepressible Toulouse in Marseille on Friday evening.
![England have enough to down the All Blacks](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1686/1750016/n03-RkAjT1719815712586/ENGLAND-HAVE-ENOUGH-TO-DOWN-THE-ALL-BLACKS.jpg)
England have enough to down the All Blacks
STEVE Borthwick's England team have taken their first step of their summer tour and returned with the expected win showing the focus needed to suppress and beat an energetic Japan at home in their own stadium.
![Gatland hits the 50-mark for Wales](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1686/1750016/gvlovi_871719815405541/GATLAND-HITS-THE-50MARK-FOR-WALES.jpg)
Gatland hits the 50-mark for Wales
UNLESS they change the habit of a lifetime in Australia over the next fortnight, Wales will be saddled with their longest losing run for more than 20 years.
![I'm thrilled to see Bath enjoying its success](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1686/1750016/fNgJAtNOw1719815227207/IM-THRILLED-TO-SEE-BATH-ENJOYING-ITS-SUCCESS.jpg)
I'm thrilled to see Bath enjoying its success
MY journey with rugby began at the age of seven during the '95 World Cup.
![25 years on and it's still a special place](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1686/1750016/ikg_F3Qq01719815106265/25-YEARS-ON-AND-ITS-STILL-A-SPECIAL-PLACE.jpg)
25 years on and it's still a special place
IT WAS the 25th anniversary of the first-ever game at the Millennium Stadium a couple of days ago which pulled me up a little short because I remember it like yesterday, not least because it was, I think, possibly the hottest and certainly the most uncomfortable I've ever been reporting in Britain.
![Cheika knows he will be judged on results](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1686/1750016/swdN9c8NU1719814952762/CHEIKA-KNOWS-HE-WILL-BE-JUDGED-ON-RESULTS.jpg)
Cheika knows he will be judged on results
LEICESTER were once a byword for stability. Like Liverpool FC, they had a reputation for promoting from within and benefiting from a boot room that allowed players to transition into management-think Dean Richards, Richard Cockerill and Geordan Murphy.
![Whistler's authority must be protected](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1686/1750016/7DRHnhXZi1719814632574/WHISTLERS-AUTHORITY-MUST-BE-PROTECTED.jpg)
Whistler's authority must be protected
WE CAN easily imagine New Zealand rugby folk in the afterlife, shaking the English referee Roger 1. Quittenton warmly by the hand while grabbing the Scottish official John Dewar Dallas roughly by the throat.
![Bracken's hat-trick inspires England](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1686/1750016/UMoTy9qHH1719812849546/BRACKENS-HATTRICK-INSPIRES-ENGLAND.jpg)
Bracken's hat-trick inspires England
DESPITE going 14-0 down in the first half, Mapletoft's Mark men secured an impressive win spear headed by a hat-trick from debutant winger Jack Bracken.
![Ruthless Ireland savour Italian job](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1686/1750016/C29gIZGDn1719812700500/RUTHLESS-IRELAND-SAVOUR-ITALIAN-JOB.jpg)
Ruthless Ireland savour Italian job
WILLIE Faloon's new era in charge of Ireland U20s got off to a dream start as last year's finalists destroyed Six Nations rivals Italy with an eight-try opening day victory.
![Uruguay keen to give Scots a test](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1686/1750016/bME1njn4a1719812560374/URUGUAY-KEEN-TO-GIVE-SCOTS-A-TEST.jpg)
Uruguay keen to give Scots a test
AFTER thrilling Glasgow's URC triumph, many Scotland fans would love to see their side test themselves against one of the southern hemisphere powerhouses in the coming weeks.