So this week we decided to challenge our Twitter followers and rugby fans to offer up their suggestions for a Square in the Air Rugby World Cup 2011 playlist. We wanted something we could listen to that would really get us fired up for the eagerly anticipated tournament.

Gloucester boys Mike Gardiner (@mike_MG7), Tom Bozzard (@bozz_ard) and Martin Knight (@norr15) were loving The Game ft Lil Wayne -My Life, Neva Soft by Ms Dynamite and plenty of Chase and Status. Whereas Rugby League legend Shaun Briscoe (sbrisk1) listens to Foo Fighters – Best of You prior to a game with Hull Kingston Rovers.

Thanks to everyone that gave us ideas, we hope you enjoy the final mix!

http://open.spotify.com/user/squareintheair/playlist/6SQIOkteiSjzBbgq7xLWZE Square in the Air #Rugbyplaylist

Follow us for more sports, betting and gaming info – @squareintheair – www.squareintheair.com

Square in the Air received a nod of approval from QPR manager Neil Warnock last week.

We were tasked with creating a promotional gift for betting daily the Racing Post to raise awareness of their fantastic pre-season pullout, The Big Kick-Off.

Square in the Air came up with the idea of a box of miniature spirits, each of which represented one of the Prem’s top managers: Sir Alex Ferguson, a vintage Scotch; Arsene Wenger, a stylish Cognac; Chelsea’s young Portuguese manager AVB a fruity port; and Roberto Mancini, a rich Limoncello.

These gift boxes were sent to broadcast journalists, former players and current managers, including Hoops boss Warnock. When he called the RP ‘s Mark Langdon, the paper’s football journo feared he was about to get a ticking off for slating the newly promoted side. But no, it was a grateful call to pass on his thanks in person! Cheers Neil!

Read the anecdote in Bruce Millington’s column below and check out some images of the gift boxes.

Our most recent work experience recruit, Alex Reid, shares his thoughts on a week spent in the Square in the Air office:

Monday:

I set out for my first day at Square in the Air full of youthful optimism and excitement, but that quickly turned to agitation and discomfort as I found myself stuck on the Northern Line with a copy of the Guardian shoved in my face and somebody’s elbow digging into my ribs. It occurred to me that my wallet was protruding handsomely out of my back pocket, yet at that stage all I cared about was getting to the office on time!

Luckily I did just that, and after warm greetings from Ollie, David, Will and Bailey I sat down at my desk and entered the world of sports PR. I was quickly researching some current blogs/columns before trying my hand at one myself.

Didn’t make one tea or coffee…

Tuesday:

Had a great day working on some regional newspaper columns, as well as compiling data for a promotional calendar.

Offered to make a tea or coffee… However, duly declined by all.

Wednesday:

A busy day which involved creating a spread betting discussion about the cricket World Cup, researching some novelty betting markets about Adele, and writing columns for two regional papers from the North – one featuring my adopted team, the mighty ‘Boro.

Made my first coffee, for David – I’m pretty sure he actually asked for tea but he didn’t seem to mind…

Thursday:

Compiled some coverage searches for recent press releases as well as writing one myself, completed a new promotional calendar for Bailey and dashed off a tipping column for a footy match on Friday. Went for a few pints up the road after work with everyone.

Starting to make a pretty mean instant coffee… although still haven’t broken my duck on the tea front.

Friday:

The week’s flown by and I’m disappointed I’m not here for longer. Just wrote a blog about the Masters and put this diary together, got some more tips up my sleeve for the weekend’s football I need to put down in words.

Never made a cuppa’… So much for work experience being all about hot drinks…

I’ve had a brilliant week.  I’ve learnt new research methods, developed my copy writing skills and gained valuable knowledge for the future by listening first hand to experienced professionals which was made all the more easier having an opinion on the days’ sporting calendar. And let’s face it, it’s a hell of a lot of fun debating who’s going to win the Champions League, or if Tendulkar’s going to get his 100^th century tomorrow in Mumbai…

Oooh, get us. Square in the Air have gone international. SITA’s top dog, Bill Esdaile, was quoted in the world’s biggest selling paper, the Wall Street Journal, on the Grand National weights. OK, so it was only the European edition, but this is just the start!

Read the article here.

Journalist Rosie Murray-West called us up to find out a bit more about the apparently no-lose scenario with bookmakers’ free matched bets offers. We duly obliged…

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/8185280/Is-this-a-bet-you-cant-lose.html

As a huge fan of snooker since an early age I was very pleased to get my hands on a ticket to attend the inaugural Power Snooker event on Saturday. After a couple of hours inside the IndigO2, the O2’s intimate theatre space, I was frustrated at the number of things that were wrong with the tournament.

I don’t agree with everything Matthew Syed said in yesterday’s Times article, but he hit a few nails on the head. As a sober spectator it was certainly embarrassing at times hearing some of the chanting aimed at Shaun Murphy (you don’t have to be a genius to guess the exact lyric aimed towards the slightly overweight player), Ding Junhui and the two female referees.

The format doesn’t work, and I’d be surprised to see a tournament played as it was on Saturday again. The 20 second shot clock is a great idea, as are double points in a break subsequent to potting the power ball – even if the dated alarm sound to notify us of this was immensely annoying. The real problem is the absence of frames. Points can be racked up, giving one player an unassailable lead, which then renders the rest of the match unexciting and uninvolving for the spectator. Imagine how boring a timed, three-hour tennis match would be without the game and set structure? Frequently this was case when eventual winner Ronnie O’Sullivan got in early in a match.

The biggest let down though was the actual spectacle. Power Snooker couldn’t decide if it was a sport, a TV show or a live entertainment product and ultimately it failed to deliver on all counts.

It was billed as sexy snooker; a classic game given a rock and roll twist. Watching the afternoon session on ITV4, I couldn’t believe that the channel had hired ageing commentator Clive Everton to translate the game for a new audience. He is, by far, the best commentator for the World Championships, but his deep, leisurely tone is the worst voice imaginable to usher in a new young audience. The speed of the sport required a frequent talker – preferably a banterous duo. Football man Peter Drury didn’t fit the bill either.

I’m sure the views from the main seats up top were great, but those seated on the lower level were not even afforded a view of the table top and had to make do with watching the large TV screen to see any action other than Mark Selby’s stance or Ali Carter’s loud shirt. I’m not sure whether it would have worked or not, but I’d be interested to know if an angled mirror above the table was ever mentioned.

I applaud Barry Hearn and Rod Gunner’s experiment – at least that’s what I hope it was – and I hope they have learnt a lot. However, I also hope that World Snooker is working hard on the issues that will really reinvigorate the sport – they need to address the sport of snooker, and the entertainment value will follow. Take more exhibitions and tournaments around the world, host the World Championships in China, work on attracting bigger sponsors for a year-long tournament series and increase the prize money to attract more talent. Simplify the ranking system while you’re at it. Set up snooker schools, world team events and introduce rules designed to discourage negative play and show off how talented these guys really are – as we saw in glimpses at the O2.

There is a place for the odd event like this in the calendar, but Power Snooker, at least as it was staged on Saturday, is a long way from being snooker’s saviour.

I made my mum’s year a couple of weeks ago – after about four series of trying, finally managed to get my hands on a pair of tickets to a live recording of Strictly Come Dancing courtesy of the Beeb.

So my younger sister and my old dear will be there, all glammed up, watching Bruce fluff his lines and Len dish out ‘seVEN’s. They were extra chuffed when they found out that Ian Waite would be replacing Brendan for the evening (he’s from our home town). Boyles make him 12/1 to permanently replace the New Zealander for the series. They also go 5/1 for Ann Widdecombe to do a John Sargeant and like a good house guest, know when it’s time to leave, and retire gracefully from the show.

Much more action on the X Factor betting. Most bookies have got One Direction and Matt Cardle battling it out for favouritism, but I’m much keener on the backstage gossip. Particularly the gruesome twosome that is rumoured to be Wagner and Mary.

Boyles go 10/1 that the Brazilian love god and the Irish diva make sweet music together (not like that!) and release a duet. Betting on which song they record as below. My fiver’s on Save Your Love…

Which duet will Mary and Wagner release as a single?
Endless Love 16/1
I’ve Had The Time of My Life 18/1
Save Your Love 20/1
Especially For You 33/1
You’re The One That I Want 50/1
I Got You Babe 50/1
Don’t Go breaking My Heart 66/1

Go to http://www.oddschecker.com/specials/tv/x-factor/winning-act for a full list of X Factor and SCD odds.

Currently on rotation in Square in the Air towers:

The Black Keys – Brothers

Kings of Leon – Come Around Sundown (opinion pending…)

Johnny Cash – American IV: Man Comes Around

Simian Mobile Disco – Temporary Pleasure (Friday classic)

Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History