The Gardeners' World Blog

You just can't trust the French! Yes I know that seems a bit harsh, but bear with me as there is a reason for such seeming xenophobia.

The regular reader (thank you!) of this blog will have spotted that my efforts last week included the most seering, incisive bit of sports betting advice for many a year - move over Angus Loughran!

What I said was that France were my tip to take the RBS 6 Nations title - and here's the big one - the French winger Vincent Clerc was my tip to be the Player of the Tournament. Clerc didn't let us down at Murrayfield last Sunday with his two-try, man of the match performance, as new coach Marc Lievremont's side rammed Scottish optimism back down their throats with the most convincing win of the first weekend.

One story last week will have slipped under most people's radar, yet it could still have significant implications for the biggest sporting event of the year.

A leading human rights activist in China was formally arrested while his wife and two-month-old baby remain under house arrest.

Human rights issues are not new in China, but as the Olympics gets ever closer they will be brought into sharper focus.

The Beijing authorities are under scrutiny like never before - their reaction to that increased media attention could determine whether the decision to award them the Games is judged a success or a hopelessly misguided error.