What an extraordinary two weeks for Richard Plackett and his team. First, they went to Tignes in France for the European Winter Games, where they fought some of the world’s best teams over seven gruelling days, and emerged with the crown. Elated but exhausted, three of them – Richard, Espen Erichsen and Peter Crouch – flew straight on to Bristol, where they teamed up with Andrew Robson, Alexander Allfrey and Peter Bertheau for the Spring Fours.