Watch for Dean Mumm to squeeze in a few games for his old club Sydney University when he starts his bid to become a Wallaby bolter  in May after a three year stint in England. Word is that Mumm’s rousing play as captain of Exeter has shown much of the drive that already has won him 33 Test caps. We hear the Australian selectors will have a big say in how many times he pulls on Sydney University’s blue and gold jumper.

We hear that both the Premier and the Prime Minister will do the honours when a marvellous book of memorabilia titled Sun, Surf and Scrums in launched before the Manly v Gordon game at Manly Oval this Saturday.

Eastwood fly-half Jai Ayoub is off to play two Test matches in the national team of Croatia, one of them against Serbia. He has been making such appearance for the Croats for three years.

One of rugby’s great scallywags Jeff Sayle has achieved a lifetime ambition by having a beer named after him – Jeff Sayle Ale. On sale at Randwick home games at Coogee, it soon will be joined by Sayle-Ale T-shirt and singlets to raise funds for the club for which this rugby legend first represented sixty five years ago.

Tim Lane, cut as coach of Lyon after winning promotion to the French first division, is staying in Europe to look for another job. However, he’ll be coming home for a brief holiday at the end of this month on which he’ll watch son Sam wear Manly’s No10 jumper for a game or two. Sam has been influential in the Marlin’s unbeaten start to 2015 and will be one to watch this season. Two years ago Sam’s came to a shuddering halt due to injury but happily he’s back to his best.

Alan Jones, the 2GB maestro, tells of the Golden Oldie rugby player seeking a Senior medical card. Asked to produce some ID, he said he had left his driver’s licence at home. ”Unbutton your shirt,” said the girl at the desk. When she saw the grey hair, she gave approval for the card on the spot. When our hero excitedly told his wife what had happened, she replied, “If you’d have dropped your pants, you’d have been given a disability pension, too.”

Trivia: Albert “Tibby” Cotter, after whom the footbridge over Anzac Parade at Moore Park to enable easier access to Alliance Stadium and the SCG, wasn’t just a lightning quick fast bowler with a habit of breaking stumps. When available in the winter months, he played first grade rugby. There are more than twenty recorded instances of Tibby, who captured 89 Test wickets, snapping a stump with one of his snorters. A trooper in the Australian Light Horse in 1917, he was shot dead by a sniper when peeping over the rim of a trench at Beersheba.

Talking of Golden Oldies, a world tournament will be held in Cardiff next year. For those not so ambitious to make the trip to Wales, there will be an event in the Hunter Valley in 2016.

It was too good an opportunity for Joe Barakat to miss. Back home after five years coaching in Japan, he returned to his old club West Harbour only to be approached to become an assistant coach with  Irish club Ulster. Joe heads off in July.

Meanwhile, Bilal Elbatoory, the Sydney University prop, has been called up to play for Lebanon in the coming West Asian championship. Tests will be played against Jordan and Iran four days later.