There are growing indications that Wright is thinking long and hard about the financial viability of keeping

There are growing indications that Wright is thinking long and hard about the financial viability of keeping the 1997 champions at Loftus Road.Bedford, another top flight club struggling to stay afloat in a sea of economic hardship, were sending out more upbeat signals yesterday. London Scottish, West Hartlepool, Sale and, alarmingly for Chris Wright and his bank account, Wasps, are pulling in less than 3,000 a time. Assuming he survives a second team run-out against Wasps next Tuesday, he will include himself in the squad to face Leicester at Vicarage Road five days later. South Africa’s World Cup-winning captain, sidelined since undergoing minor knee surgery during the summer, is guaranteed a Springbok-sized welcome. Saracens confidently expect a crowd of 16,000 plus for their set-to with Martin Johnson’s pacesetting Tigers, a sure sign of the growing discrepancy between the haves and have-nots of the Premiership.
The big boys are doing quite nicely, thank you; Leicester’s average gate is up around the 13,000 mark while Sarries, Richmond, Bath and Gloucester also report encouraging levels of interest Sadly, business is nowhere near as brisk elsewhere.

This time the Cumbrian driver will be able to compete with his son, George Bowman Jnr, as a team-mate. Pippa Thomas completes the line-up for the British team and her sister, Karen Bassett, is also competing as an individual.BRITAIN: G Bowman; G Bowman Jnr; P Thomas. Individual: K Bassett.SHOW JUMPING7-11 October, Flaminio Stadium, Rome.DEFENDING TEAM: Germany.INDIVIDUAL: F Sloothaak (Ger).Germany holds the Olympic, World and European titles in both team and individual categories – and nobody will discount their chance of an extended reign. Both France and Brazil are tipped for team placings, with Austria’s Hugo Simon favourite for the individual. Britain’s chances looked forlorn until Nick Skelton won three grands prix in a row. Now nothing seems impossible.BRITAIN: G Billington (Virtual Village It’s Otto); D Lampard (Abbervail Dream); N Skelton (Virtual Village Hopes are High); J Whitaker (Virtual Village Heyman) Reserve: J Fisher (Traxdata Renville)..

FRANCOIS PIENAAR rejoices in his well-earned reputation as a big game performer and, true to form, Saracens’ player-coach intends to resume his love affair with an adoring Watford public by returning to Premiership action in the biggest game of the season so far. Women: T Benedetto (Ger).Sometimes sniffily referred to as “the circus bit”, this event features youngsters performing spectacular gymnastics atop cantering horses Germany and Switzerland are the best exponents. The British squad do not expect to win a team medal – but Daniel Bentley has a chance in the men’s individual.BRITAIN Men: D Bentley; P Beasley Women: R Townsend; J Croft; F Jones. Team (8 of 10 to be chosen): P Beasley; J Eccles; K Hunt; L McElnay; H MacGillvray; D Mackay; P Murray; M Rawlinson; A Rogerson; G Russell.DRIVING7-10 October,Pratoni del Vivaro.DEFENDING TEAM: Belgium.INDIVIDUAL: F Brasseur (Bel).The great George Bowman, a former scrap metal processor and rodeo rider, has twice been runner-up in the world championships in this event, and he still has every chance of driving his team of four horses to victory at the age of 63. Individuals compete in both the Grand Prix Special and the Freestyle to Music for one overall title, which should go to either Werth or Van Grunsven, who had a gold medal each in 1994.