Along the lines of: “Well, the carpet’s blue, and the curtains are yellow, I love a bit of sunflower spread, and Brian lost his ear in an accident, so I wondered if you could do us some Van Gogh- style sunflowers to fit in the up-lit alcove?”But no, it’s all a bit more Sensational than that. The deal is that the two spend time together, get to know each other, then the artist goes off to produce a work of art for their new BBC buddy. This is the first in a series of six programmes, where the BBC and the Arts Council, acting as a sort of creative dating agency, pair up 12 contemporary artists with 12 new patrons. what is it?”
This is Rebecca’s reaction when Cornelia reveals the pieces of art she has made specially for Rebecca. Except Rebecca is not Mummy, she is Rebecca Stephens, the first British woman to climb Everest, and Cornelia is not a satchel-toting school kid, she is Cornelia Parker, short-listed for tomorrow’s Turner Prize.How did these two come together you might ask? Well, BBC2 have fixed them up on Date with an Artist. It is a match, Lindsay Calder discovers, which could be heaven or hell. Remember when you used to come home from school and proudly present your mother with the latest creation from your art lesson, and how she would feign delight and stick it to the kitchen wall before saying “It’s lovely darling…

Replacements: B Ross, R Card, A Healy, C MacKenzie, E Evans, K Morgan.Referee: C Giacomel (Italy).. Fancy a date with an artist? Always longed for a work which was unique to you? A new BBC series brings artists to clients, famous and ordinary. Replacements: J Cunningham (Ballymena), N Hogan (London Irish), D Humphreys (London Irish), R Corrigan (Ballymena), E Halvey (Shannon), A Clarke (Northampton).CANADA: J Stewart; W Stanley, D Lougheed, R Toews, J Pagano; G Rees (capt), J Gaff; R Snow, M Cardinal, R Bice, J Tait, M James, M Schmid, A Charron, J Hutchinson. Canada: Try Cardinal; Penalties Rees 2.IRELAND: K Nowlan (St Mary’s); D Hickie (St Mary’s), R Henderson (Wasps), B McCall (London Irish), K Maggs (Bristol); E Elwood (Galwegians), C McGuinness (St Mary’s); N Popplewell (Newcastle, capt), R Nesdale (Newcastle), P Wallace (Saracens), P Johns (Saracens), M O’Kelly (London Irish), D Erskine (Sale), V Costello (St Mary’s), K Dawson (London Irish).

Elwood made no mistake with the conversion as Ireland gained a 15- 6 lead which they took into the half-time break.Elwood picked up where he left off with a 44th-minute penalty but Canada’s veteran hooker Mark Cardinal charged over for the tourists’ only try to pull the score back to 18-11.Ireland then took control and after near scoring attempts from Denis Hickie and Nowlan, Kevin Maggs finally got Ireland’s third try on 55 minutes, touching down in the corner after good work from Elwood and Nowlan.Elwood again missed the conversion but this time Ireland were in the comfort zone and No 8 Victor Costello went over on the hour to seal victory, leaving Nowlan to round off Ireland’s day with his second try with six minutes remaining.Ireland: Tries Nolan 2, McGuinness, Maggs, Costello; Conversion Elwood; Penalties Elwood 2. After a hammering at the hands of the All Blacks two weeks ago Ireland scored five tries to beat a determined but limited Canadian side at Lansdowne Road yesterday. Ireland’s makeshift team, deprived of Lions forwards Eric Miller, Keith Wood and Jeremy Davidson among others, got off to an upbeat start, taking the game to their visitors and went ahead in the fourth minute with full- back Kevin Nowlan running over for the opening try, his first for his country in his second appearance.
Eric Elwood missed the conversion and a penalty three minutes later and instead of opening up a healthy 10-point lead Ireland allowed Canada to get back into contention at 5-3 with a penalty from the Canadian captain and outside-half Gareth Rees.Elwood did succeed after 12 minutes but his penalty was matched by Rees soon after.Nick Popplewell, captaining Ireland in the absence of Wood, and David Erskine, tried and failed to breach the Canadian line before Conor McGuinness decided to do the job, hurling himself over the line for Ireland’s second try. “Never mind fitness levels and organisation, the strength of the All Blacks is in their handling skills and balance.” A gnarled warrior from the past put forward the view that New Zealand had again showed how rugby should be played All nodded in agreement.. They way things were shaping up 50 was more like it.Making fewer mistakes, showing more patience in possession, Wales managed to save face in the second half and Nigel Walker’s try provided something to look back on.After the match a clutch of old Welsh internationals, including Gareth Edwards and Phil Bennett, could be heard in conversation “It’s all about the basics,” Bennett said. In answer to his inquiry the only word I could think of to describe Welsh efforts up to that stage was “gallant.” It was hardly out of my mouth before the mercurial Christian Cullen went over for another try Thirty-five points of a start – they had to be kidding. On the one hand disciplined and physical, on the other gifted, their fast hands reminiscent of rugby league, they were soon stretching Wales to the limit.It took the All Blacks just four minutes to stifle the Welsh support, breaching the home defences with a try that typified their all-round superiority, a bludgeon of a move that was completed by the left flanker Taine Randell, who carried Kevin Morgan over with him.With the All Blacks 15 points ahead after 25 minutes, a record score appeared to be miserably in prospect for everyone with Welsh affiliations.At this stage of proceedings I was joined by a latecomer.