Q. My son is a member of a rugby team at his university. They are a lovely bunch of chaps during daylight hours but some sort of group hysteria seems to take hold during post-match victory celebrations and they behave more like cavemen than gentlemen. They obviously need the civilising influence of female company in the form of girlfriends — but how to find them? Although there are many suitable single girls in our circle, the four we took to a recent game in the hope of doing a spot of match-making were put off by the beer-fuelled boorishness in the pub afterwards. What do you suggest, Mary?
V.H.R., Devizes, Wiltshire
A. Just because the team members enjoy these occasional Jekyll-and-Hyde evenings as part of their ritual for bonding, it does not reduce their overall eligibility. Society’s new form of match-making, as spearheaded by Lady Meyer in a forthcoming fund-raising event for PACT (Parents of Abducted Children Trust, 13 September) consists of arranging speed-dating evenings in aid of charity. A committee of young men and women invite their friends to pay to attend. Those for whom speed-dating events would normally bear the stigma of the saddo are only too delighted to have the excuse to do it to benefit a charity. In Lady Meyer’s evening 30 girls will meet 30 boys and boxes can be ticked for both ‘Fancy’ and ‘Friend’. All tickings are married together at the conclusion and those who have ticked each other’s boxes are handed mobile numbers. Money is raised for charity and everyone is happy. Arrange such an evening to benefit the Clubhouse or another likely charity and the team members will reap certain romantic dividends with resultant civilising effects on the team members.
Q. In the changing room someone in my rugby team picked up my mouthguard by mistake.
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