STEVE BALE The bizarre nature of Welsh rugby's bonus-points system may have created a multiplicity

STEVE BALE The bizarre nature of Welsh rugby's bonus-points system may have created a multiplicity of unfairnesses, but it is undeniably bringing the Heineken League, the last to be sponsored by the brewing company, to a thrilling conclusion. Neath, Cardiff, Llanelli and Pontypridd lead the table, in that order, and with Llanelli playing Pontypridd at Stradey Park this afternoon in a repeat of last Saturday's cup semi-final won by Ponty, this is as critical a day as the First Division has seen this season.Neath have a big advantage in tries but, given the irresistible way Cardiff have been playing, the champions' game in hand ought, in theory, to be more than enough to make up their two-point deficit. "The 10 points we've picked up in the last two matches have put us in the driving seat," Alun Donovan, one of Cardiff's coaches, said."We've put ourselves back in contention with two matches we had to win and we'll be trying to keep it the same against Newbridge, with explosive rugby up front and the backs running in the tries."Though Llanelli are third, they more or less discount their chances; hardly the frame of mind in which to take on Pontypridd after last week's cup drubbing though a place in Europe is a new priority even for those whose title aspirations are dead.There is more to come. With two weeks of my career left I still have goals to attain That's great. Not many people can claim that."This could be the final county championship on this scale, so it is a privilege to be playing in it. The family get a nice day out and as for the players a lot of them have never been there before, so it has been good to be involved in their excitement.

Obviously being an old head I will have to try to calm them down."We'll have a go against Warwickshire, but I've told the lads whatever happens it's going to be a good night out in London.". And it's nice to go out with a trip to the Big House, I have to call Twickenham that," he explains, "because I call Kingsholm HQ. He wants to help Gloucester beat relegation from the First Division - he has already played a big part in that by scoring 11 of the points that beat Bath 10 days ago - and helping Gloucestershire lift the County crown."I can't think of a higher note to finish on. I thought it was a start, that I could go on from there, but then it died a death."The best thing about it is that the players, especially in Gloucestershire, are number one. Everyone agrees that without the players there wouldn't be a game.

At club level professionalism is going to mean players will be treated like commodities. I am going to miss the gravy train, but fortunately I won't have to put up with all the messing about. There is going to be a lot of garbage for the next few years before it is all settled."Smith has his sights set on a personal double to bow out on. "I'm quite upset that it has been devalued."When I was part of the set-up in 1984 I went into it big time and I found it enjoyable It was my first taste of senior representative rugby. I do things when I am playing for the County that I would never dream of doing in a league match, running from my own try line, silly passes, back flips, the lot."Smith, a scaffolder, has always been a fan of the county championship, even though opportunities to play in it have been strictly limited in his 15 seasons with Gloucester "The whole county championship means a lot to me," he said. "I treat club rugby as it is supposed to be treated - deadly seriously.

He is already Gloucester's second-highest scorer with 2,751 points, after Peter Butler's 2,961.Smith has no problem with the perceived clash of interests as his career reaches an exciting and appropriate climax "There is no division of ideals," he said. Twickenham is an appropriate setting for Smith since he has decided to retire at the end of the season. "I will be 34 next month and it is getting tougher and tougher to keep training and playing and stay with everyone," said Smith, who needs one more game to reach 350 for the club. There is no contest when it comes down to club v county on the field But off the field it is a different matter. There the counties, albeit temporarily, hold sway after electing a champion for their cause, the resolute Cliff Brittle. It has delayed to the brink of division in the union, the clubs' desire to move smoothly and with fiscal autonomy into the professional age.There is an irony then that today, when the counties are looking for another champion, that Gloucestershire should have a senior player, Gloucester's Tim Smith, at full-back.