"It was a sad sight when I arrived at the club on Saturday morning. With water lying in sporadic puddles across much of the surface and most of the ground waterlogged, there was little realistic prospect of play.

It had been raining for days, it seemed, and the whole earnest process of the pitch inspection was made doubly uncomfortable by the persistent deluge that swept across the ground and exposed the inadequacies of my protective clothing.

Those with wider experience of the conditions seemed somewhat better equipped for wading around where the playing surface had last been seen, and it did require extensive inspection and comparison of sage opinion before the only realistic conclusion was reached.

The conditions had proved a problem throughout the week. We were fortunate on Tuesday to prevail on the assembled might of Allithwaite and Sedbergh Ladies Hockey Club, who, despite the rich promise of their impressive title, turned out to be seven well wrapped- up ladies training diligently as the snow fell around them.

They kindly allowed us to share their half of the Queen Katharine Astroturf permitting some attention to fitness levels.

On Thursday, some areas of our half frozen training pitch were less treacherous than others, and we managed to sustain only one twisted ankle, a relative triumph in the circumstances.

Sadly, the long-awaited replacement of the floodlight bulb - absent since September - proved an anticlimax, lasting only one week before it once more expired.

When preparations have been impaired and imperfect, missing the game on a Saturday just further interrupts momentum. This is especially the case in the midst of a run of victories unprecedented in recent times, now stretching back to January 10, 2004.

While these frustrations have always hampered the game, especially in Cumbria, the general improvements in training and playing conditions that have percolated all levels of rugby throw our modest facilities into heightened contrast.

It is reassuring that moves are afoot behind the scenes to develop our provision in these areas. As the game moves from the artisan to the artist, it puts greater emphasis on developing skill and judgment, which is not easily done in agricultural conditions.

When all the inspecting, justifying, explaining, telephoning and collecting equipment had been completed, largely by those with impressive outfits of weatherproof clothing, we stared collectively into the great void that is Saturday afternoon with no rugby.

When the second team game at Wharfedale was cancelled the problem exacerbated.

There was the possibility of an intelligence gathering exercise at Fylde. Or even Penrith, where a mouth watering contest with mighty Oldham was eagerly anticipated.

In the end, the temptations were resisted in favour of the European game on Sky. Unnervingly, Leicester lost the game, and two days later sacked the most successful coach in their history.

Maybe this is another modern development in the game making its way towards Cumbria.