DRAGONS,COCKERALS, WALLABIES OR SILVER FERNS

FAREWELL TO REMUERA HOLIDAY PARK

After two days and nights of torrential rain, my penultimate day was blessed with mild drying sun. Much welcomed by the poor buggers sleeping in tents.
A clean up day,clearing up the campervan, sticking a detached aerial clip back on and crushing clothes back into my pack. Reconnaissance trip to the airport area to find the hotel I will stay at on Saturday night and to pinpoint the campervan return depot.
Out there excitement and festa have given way to the quiet anxieties of a phony war.Justifiably,Wales has won the PR popularity stakes mostly on the field and may be the great hope for a return to playing entertaining rugby in the Northern Hemisphere-France which is a poor team is hiding behind the myth of a constant ability to dash into a phone booth as Clark Kent and emerge as unbeatable superman.

SOUTH AFRICAN NEIGHBOURS

The bleat of sour South African losers can still be heard as they bombard the phone number of a poor Auckland man with the same names as the referee who presided at their demise. As deservedly as England, they and their rigid, bash and crash rugby head for the dustbin of history(at least unlike England, they did not pretend to be what they were not and stuck rigidly to their plan-they almost got away with it.)
Meanwhile in England there is about to be a positively "Stalinist" purging of the administration and management ranks such that they appear to have a greater need of management and change consultancy(me and my Bristol mate Richard know what is needed) than anyone with modern and progressive rugby knowledge and skills,at this stage. At least the temporary commissar sent in to sort things out-Fran Cotton, owns a clothing business and although his discounted lines are not as well made and hard wearing as shirts and trews by Australia's Rivers, I have been very glad of one of his polyester night shirts when calls of nature have forced me out of my snug van into cold, black rainy South Island nights.
A little commented on fact at this world cup is the number of teams with superior possession and territory who have still managed to lose-none more spectacularly so than the Springboks-the ABs have taken note. What really matters is not what you do and how steadfastly you do it but HOW you do it.
Australians have stood back from their new team( the new "all Stars" are not yet as beloved as the Ella brothers) but now they are flooding across for the QTR final(Despite the treacherous behaviour of Qantas employees-pity Gillard doesn't follow Rugby). Meanwhile all new Zealanders, regardless of political, religious, racial and dare I say "Class" distinctions (ie those Radio NZ commentators pretending to be what they imagine BBC types still are and residents of suburbs like Remuera)and all are united and dare say no other than that the All Blacks will win. But there is a growing jitter of doubt-the Wallabies have never beaten them at Eden Park-but these self-appointed world champions have only won the world cup once and that was 25 years ago. The Wallabies have won it twice and on two occasions have denied the All Blacks world cup glory. So history and mystery tell us nothing.But a team that with less than 80% ball possession beat the Springboks and scored the only try has got the NZ discerning supporters thinking it might not be a walk over after all. Meanwhile there are Dragons and Cockerals not to be taken lightly .

Truly this is psychologically the land of the Long Black Cloud at the moment. They have suffered three major disasters-the mine deaths on the West coast(bodies still not recovered), the destruction of Christchurch's heart and now a major marine oil spill in fishing grounds and on beaches which are the only asset of the local holiday trade.To give this human emphasis-a family leaving Christchurch for a new life in Queensland look like losing all their possessions which were in a container on the ship which is shedding them and breaking up. The owners promise help-but the insurance is capped and they are Greek! Not the most financially flush nation at the moment to rely on.
So slow is the administration of Christchurch's reconstruction that NZ's largest construction company that stands to really benefit and employ people has issued a profit warning and is looking to lure tradesmen from Britain(many Kiwis are digging up a fortune in West Australia's mines) The dairy and sheep industries are booming but a blight has hit the "Kiwi-Fruit" vines and if this was not bad enough, "Coronation Street" has been moved to later in the evening to accommodate master chef( tells you something about NZ and its affiliations.) Also, the dairy cows are polluting the rivers and water supply.Never mind-a national election is coming and unlike Australia they have the immediate chance to decisively end compromise government and perhaps rid themselves of their over-representative voting system. Still "they know their rights!"
So, much as I want Australia to win and their open style of adventurous rugby to become paramount,they are very young and have a good potential future, it might be more than Kiwis could bear not to win again and in their own country and victory would provide a much needed morale booster and reward for their open hearted acceptance of foreign teams and spectators(except the English and to some extent the Ozzies-they are much more kindly disposed towards quaint cultures that are no rugby threat-Sir Brian Lochore arranged for 51 Georgians to be entertained to lunch in NZ homes in his area-roast leg of lamb for anyone??)
If the ABs win they will have earned it but don't forget those pesky French and the Welsh have a history of raining on the parades of would be 6 nation winners-come to think of it-such is Britain's and Europe's economic gloom and hardship, both Wales and France could do with a lift too.Just done my bit for entente cordiale with a splendid Boeuf Bourgignon at a cosy Remuera French Bistrot.
As the Delphic oracle once told a client king enquiring about the outcome of a forthcoming battle-"there will be a great victory!"
So be it!

STORMY AUCKLAND NIGHT

Day 20.It's a stormy night and rain is lashing Auckland. It was so lucky that we had two perfect balmy nights for the quarter finals. I am snug in my campervan-listening to BBC world service and enjoying a brilliant minestrone soup. The campsite is very quiet-all the English have gone-probably heading home and the French are no doubt out there applying theirl palets to the products of local vineyards("Sacre Bleu! C'est impossible! Vin de Nieu Zealand??? Mais c'est bon!")and fortifying themselves against what their mercurial team might have in store for them on Saturday night..
An easy relaxing day-after a prolonged breakfast-doing my best to pretend the slight Auckland Herald (with a rugby rather than sport section) is really the Australian, I drove to the museum and walked through the bijou and very heavily "pacified" world war sections. Some interesting new insights.





Like Australia, Kiwis volunteered for the Boer war in South Africa as mounted Infantry which provided a more flexible response to hard riding and shooting Boer Farmers than the British cavalry could achieve. In the Great war, they served in parallel with Australia's light Horse at Gallipoli, in Mesopotamia and on the Western front. To my surprise, the Kiwis claim that their soldiers were first to be known as "diggers". Also, immediately after the war some NZ horsemen carried out a retaliatory raid against a Bedouin village where a thief who had shot a Kiwi soldier was believed to have come from. The result was a massacre of 20-30 Bedoin men and the unit lost all privileges and commendations they had won in the war plus a dressing down by General Allenby who called them murderers.(not the sort of the thing the 'saintly' Light horse are ever admitted to having done, in Canberra's displays. In today's paper, an Australian historian claims to have discovered a tape recording of one of these soldiersasserting that some Australians and Scots were involved. No such Anzac solidarity when it came to museum entry fee-Aucklanders free-Aussies are pressured to give a $10 donation-there you are Wayne an idea for your post Tax summit committee.(especially if the all Blacks beat us)


THOSE WHO IGNORE HISTORY MAY BE DESTINED TO REPEAT IT




In search of photographs for the cover of my novel, I was pointed to some very interesting photo albums of handsome, physically striking NZ soldiers-the snaps were so frailly mounted, I had to wear white gloves-like historians I have seen in the Cambridge University library handling original extracts from Chaucer's work. Some of the pictures fully met my requirements and were much cheaper than our War Museum charges but alas, all wore too obvious New Zealand uniforms and insignia to be used to depict the Manchester Regiment Sapper-Dan-and the Light Horse officer-Charlie.
Then to restock supplies at the supermarket, which was a fortunate decision, because the storm began to blow up and when I got back through the rush hour traffic to Remuera it had set in for the night and I was sufficiently"Re- victualled" not to need to slog up to the main road restaurants for my dinner.
The All Blacks have lost the replacement for Dan Carter with a similar groin strain and their full back is out for the finals.( gee the NZ Hernia butchers will be having a field day-could the condition replace tats as an All Black mark of honour) So, despite their commentators making light of the Wallabies win against the hardest quarter final opposition one can detect the smallest seeds of unspoken doubt in their prattling about what might happen next weekend. Seriously, it is not allowed to consider that Australia could win?? Despite the All Blacks having lost the tri-Nations final match against the Wallabies in Brisbane a few weeks ago.
Whilst I look forward to the France v Wales match on Saturday-I will be glad to head home the next morning as I am starting to find the ubiquitous appearance of All Black references(even in the museum programs and wartime exhibits) and black shirts and car flags with the silver fern, no longer fun but a bit oppressive, almost such that I can appreciate what it must have been like to see the red flag everywhere in the otherwise drab world of Mao's china. God knows what will happen to their dollar and GDP if they lose the final and psychologists will have to be flown in from Aus and the US to help them cope with a national post-traumatic stress outbreak. A bit of more of Melbourne's mellowing, mediterranean sunshine and warmth will not go amiss for me and maybe the All Blacks too.

WARRIOR WALLABIES!!

What a battle.The Boks played strictly to script-a bunch of battle-hardened , very experienced, aging players knowing only one way to play-deny the opposition the ball, wear down defenders will and strength with waves of forward charges and then score tries if they could or more likely, force penalties and kick their way to victory.
But they ran into a much younger, more unorthodox Wallaby team of the future whose brave forwards absorbed all the Boks could throw at them(cheated in the rucks in a way that used to be a Boks hallmark) and always threatened the kind of unexpected break through that led to the ONLY try of the match-remember that when the commentators(NZ and South African-eg Wallabies get out of jail! Boks all over them. Aussies had 15 players + the ref) stress the dominance of the Springboks. The South Africans had 85% possession, still lost and never crossed the Australian try line.
Eddy Jones, the former Australian coach and past adviser to the Springboks, was right when he said they were an aging team stuck in an out outmoded style of play and the key players, especially Habana had gone backwards since they won the last World Cup
It was like the Welsh regiment's famous defence of Rourke's Drift mission station against vastly more numerous Zulu warriors with the Springboks(ironically) playing the losing tribesmen.South African coach and captin resigned on the spot(before facing an ANC firing squad??) what about their English counterparts?
In the pub last night I was the only Wallabies supporter amongst a mob of Kiwis and a few South Africans-behind the bar the Welsh and French flags had pride of place marking their already having won through to the semis.
After the game had manythumps on the back from huge approving New Zealanders who have no love for the Boks and one bought me a drink. Can the Wallabies recover sufficiently to do it all again against an All Blacks,equally as physical but more versatile than the Boks?
The subsequent All Black victory over Argentina was somewhat anti-climactic after the earlier battle but the locals loved it and I left the bar to the pounding sound of the Rolling stones number about the "world is painted black". I rolled down the hill to the campsite quietly humming "The man from down under!!"(without Vegemite sandwich)
Go you good things!!!

QUARTERS AND SEMIS

Days 16-18.Back in Auckland and having secured a site at the only inner-city Holiday park in Remuera(with all facilities and $15 per night cheaper than the "official" inadequate temporary site at the Trotting track car park) I have booked right through to Saturday's semi-final(a mouth watering France v Wales). My last night will be at an airport hotel as I fly out at 6:30am on Sunday.
Rex flew in from Australia again and was kind enough to drive me to further sights on Friday, including the inner city beach he used to walk to as a child. We went up to the comanding outlook over the city and both harbours,set on the rim of extinct volcanos.
Remuera is a classy suburb-think Mosman and generally Sydney north shore set- so it shouldn't have been a surprise to me that, when I walked up(lung-busting hill) to the seemingly limited row of shops on the main road and asked, through the part-open window of a bakery, for a bacon and egg butty, to be invited by a man with a French accent to come in and see what was available in their chiller cabinet-foolish me-it was a real French patisserie run by three(very Jolie! ) French men. I tried to save the day by ordering a delicious toasted cheese and ham croissant served on a wooden carvery board and indulging in as much French repartie as North Manchester Grammar taught me in 1958(just scraped a pass at O level GCE.
As I sat reading the paper and drinking my coffee a stream of local matrons came and went dressed in almost uniform black tights and sweat tops-no bling- and clutching cardbord cups of delectable take-home coffee(does anybody make it at home in inner cities anymore?)
The rest of the day was taken up with a ferry ride of more than Circular Quay to Manly dimensions, out to Waiheke Island-a popular weekender resort spot, where Rex had booked lunch at a beachside restaurant(super home baked steak pie)


After this my first phase of necessary exercise(to loosen up my weak knee after so much sitting and driving) took place with a full length patrol of the pristine beach and its array of individualistic "Baches"(what Kiwis call holiday homes)



The return to the Quay in down town Auckland saw the gathering crowds heading to watch the games on the giant screens at the fan zones












QUAY AND FAN ZONE


and there were so many colourful entertainment distractions, including very tall and well endowed cross-dressers, musicians and acrobats of all sorts.


At one street crossing rival groups of supporters carrying the Tricoleur and Cross of St George criss-crossed each other as the lights changed.



I was deposited at the "Cock and Bull" pub to find a place for Rex who was parking as close to the Grafton railway station as possible and his brother who was to join us. This was a smart move as within 45 mins of the start of the Wales-Ireland match in Wellington(at a ground called The Cake Tin) the tables facing the TV screens had been heavily booked. I was able to secure three spots in front of a screen above a sign advertising Boddington's Ale brewed at Strangeways(next to the infamous prison)since 1774, in MANCHESTER(can't escape its influence)
The match was exciting and both teams played open rugby-probably to Ireland's deficit as they ran the ball when they could have scored at least two early penalties. But the Welsh victory was well deserved and the style of winning, gained the respect of all the Kiwis in the pub. Another legend of "tragic"(well deserved)Irish loss was born and an unnecessary excuse for celebrating/commiserating anyway.
Exercise two involved a brisk up-hill hike to the station and three was a knee trembling climb up about 8 flights of steep stairs in the temporary scaffold- supported stand,behind a goal that gave a commanding view of the match.The trains were far from full and he crowd much thinner than for the Ireland/Australia match some weeks ago.Clearly not much was expected of England and France(Dour English win?)

NO AGINCOURT OR CRECY HERE




So what a pleasent surprise when both sides threw the expected play book out the window and played risky open rugby. It was entertaining and a sorry diappointment and shock for the supporters of the losing England team-many of whom had flow in just for this match. But after the game the crowds were friendly and the English seemed to take the French mockery in the right spirit(No beer bottle throwing, car burning and riot/mounted police charges at Rugby Union games).
Final testing of knee shock-absorption down the stairs and to the station, back to the car and the luxury of being chauffeured home. Thanks Rex (who despite being a Kiwi/Australian was resplendent in red white and blue French cap, socks and rugby shirt(he is not much enamoured of the usual England tactics either) This time the French cavalry had over-run the English bowmen. Not even a Kenneth Branagh harang could have saved them.All the pillaging and looting had occurred behind the English leaky defence line.
So what does all this mean? The second semi-final next Saturday(for which I have a spare ticket, anyone want to fly in and join me?) will involve Wales v France. England's manager may resign and a root and branch review of team behaviour, composition and playing style will be necessary. If not, they will be having a hard time in coming seasons versus the young and improving Welsh.Perhaps as well as importing an excellent Samoan centre (the only excellent "English" player) a manager from NZ or Australia might be a good further addition.
But over and above the quality and playing style of International Rugby there is the more powerful influence of professionalism and money, which predominently lies in the Northern hemisphere(with French entrepreneurs controlling the game from their club franchise bases, much as Indian cricket and Premier league soccer's foreign owners are the dog that wags the tail of tradition values) It is hard to see NZ, although the Mecca of rugby fanaticism and capability, ever again being able to finance such an event without partnership with the more populous, wealthy and major stadium endowed Australia. there are even suggestions that The World cup be replaced by a smaller event held annually in the Northen hemisphere. Perhaps one day the games will be TV encounters only, played at geographically convenient closed grounds or at least in front of hired and paid crowds-purely to create "atmosphere".
Anyway, now we still have national rivalry(often of historical dimensions), passion as well as performance, with roaring crowds and the smell of chips and spilt beer.

RELIEVED RUGBY WIFE??







Not to mention so many clapped-out, cheerful, essentially kindly and mostly, well-educated men(many former players??) out of the hair of their relieved and long suffering spouses for a few weeks every four years. All this just to see the game we believe is played in heaven (despite certain men in black playing as though reared in a much darker place) If you think I exaggerate-see the Haka!!

THE MORNING AFTER-ENGLISH FANS SLEEP IN






Better puff up the hill and claim my table spot in front of the corner pub's big screen, hopefully, for a Wallaby v Springbok nail-biter , followed by a brave Argentina, gallantly trying to slow the enevitable march of the ABs to a semi and the final.Go Wallabies! or as Chris Handy(former wallaby and commentator) used to yell-"Go you good thing!"

QUIET DAY IN NAPIER

I MET A FLAPPER


Day 15.Tax summit in Australia, Tory Party Conference in Manchester, Bombing deaths in Mogadishu, More indecisive meetings of European politicians-meanwhile sliding markets pass their judgement and people in Napier continue to do whatever people in Napier do.
It is now one of the rugby supporter cross-over towns. South African,Australian,Irish and Welsh fans are heading south for quarter-finals in windy Wellington whilst English, French, Argentinian and of course the ubiqitous All Black army of followers focus on doing battle(especially English and French) in Auckland. Those teams defeated at the pool stage have gone home. The domiciled supporters of the eliminated pacific Island teams peel off their home country colours and emerge All Black. Conversation in the Irish bars(are there any characteristic New Zealand pubs??) are muted with no contention imminent here and each side ponders its injury challenges and how they are likely to go against the opposition they have drawn.



The Art Deco architecture is striking and supported by specialist shops selling 1920s fashions and fripperies. Flatter chest? Cloche hats? neck to Knee pearls? This is the place girls.

EVEN A PERIOD MOTOR ??
x;
EVEN THE PHARMACY


Even the girly bar and escort agency is 'a la mode'. Also, much of the signage is in a style and typeface that fits a 1920s Californian/Hollywood ambience. One expects a gangster car to scream around a corner with Cagney on the running board, Tommy gun at the ready.But not really, this is Napier and there is unlikely to be anyone here brewing hooch in a garage or tuning a bike to beat a land speed record.


EVEN IN A SIDE ALLEY




The architecture is easy to experience and take in, but much harder to photograph as the stylistic decoration on most of the buildings is above canopy level and contemporary vehicles parked beneath detract from the purity of the theme. Must be quite an experience when the summertime Art Deco festival is in full swing.



At several strategic places around the centre there are photograph boards showing what the devestation was like immediately after the 1931earthquake. For quite a period most retail and other business was conducted in a great "tin-market" building made of corrugated iron and even a Catholic church housed professional offices.



An impressive hotel(MASONIC) building has the dubious distinction of having been rebuilt twice-once after a fire and then after an earthquake and fire.


EVEN IN THE INDUSTRIAL/HARBOUR ZONE


As Christchurch struggles to make its revival a reality it might be heartened and enthused by what Napier achieved before it faced the additional challenge of once more sending its men to fight in another European instigated war. Those were the days. They were some people!

WHAT A WOMAN. ALAS RUGBY CALLS-BYE!

BOB'S GONE BATTY

Day 14. When things Kiwi are deemed superior to anything in Australia (usually in the social policy areas especially relating to entitlements, human rights and "free", hand outs from government, in which they must lead the world) naturally they like to emphasise the comparison but when Australia has anything that they want(eg detailed statistical reports on cancer occurrence) instead of that place "across the ditch",they refer to Oz as their "Near neighbour".
So, I was amused to hear an interview on NZ public radio with Bob Katter about the perils of disease carrying bats. His opening comment was to trash the interviewer's proposed figures for negligible attack rates on humans. Clearly it is the football finals silly season in Australia too or has Julia made a legislative commitment to him too?
Even zealous bloggers have to bludge occasionally and today is the day. After an ok Turkish meal in Napier last night, a good night's sleep and rollover to outlast an early rain shower, my less than sartorial clothes gasped a sigh of relief as they entered the camp site washing machine. Let's hope for some sun as the drier is bust.
There is now a week of rugby hiatus before the Quarter finals over next weekend. The game report silence is filled with ongoing analysis of Dan Carter's groin,psychologists views on what this happening is doing to the state of NZ mental health (let alone Dan's) The bookies have sown a little doubt about the AB's primacy and more balanced commentators recognise that Springbok, Wallaby and English injury problems are greater(although there is also the unspoken inference that this is a sign of inherent weakness in those sides sporting genes) As well as ANZAC day the Kiwis mark Chunuk Bair day to commemorate and emphasise the fact that their troops got to the commanding heights at Gallipoli(but couldn't hold their position in face of suicidal charges by Attaturk's troops of whom he asked-"are you afraid to die?" They were not and the rest is history.
Auckland has the lions share of the remaining matches and are committing a further NZ $1.5 M to ensure that fans wanting to attend outdoor screenings on the waterfront in what are known as "Fan Zones" can be accommodated-thus avoiding crushes and potential riotous situations (there was chaos on the opening night because the numbers requiring public transport far exceeded civic planners projections(also there is only one train line in and out of the main city commuter station and a French "water" company runs the trains). As a federal election starts after the Cup and Labour rules in Auckland, another failure by the administration would give the PM an own-goal start (not that he seems to need one judging by opinion polls) Helen Clark seems to be a distant memory.
As soon as the machine stops and my smalls are hung out to dry an expedition into one of the world's most Art Deco cities is in the offing.


In 1931 much of Napier was destroyed by an earthquake and most civic buildings were rebuilt in quake-proof Art Deco style (as in Miami) The buildings are well maintained and the pastel colour schemes kept fresh as a walking tour taking in the main ones is a must.





It is such an asset for Napier that there is an annual festival to celebrate this feature and people dress in 20s/30s style and no doubt there is much dancing of the Charleston.
Unfortunately today's weather will require me to leave my straw boater behind and snug in my all-weather Goretex gear which has crossed Siberia and coped with -20c in Helsinki and Denver in December, I will still remain alert to the possibility of passing Flappers.

IT'S ALL ABOUT RUGBY

SAMOANS CHALLENGE THE SPRINGBOKS TO DO BATTLE



Days 11-13.What a weekend of feasting on rugby. Tonga lowered the tricoleur and how the local crowds loved it. As ever, Scotland were true to their "braveheart" image but like William Wallace, they were still on the losing end to a ruthless, professional, unloved England. All Blacks continued their run of easy training runs against lowly opposition(could they get a shock when they meet a pack that will stand up to them?)
There was a great atmosphere at North Harbour stadium where despite dubious refereeing decisions including a player sent off, Samoa almost overcame the Springboks.Samoa passed and caught the ball like the Harlem Globetrotters but sadly, in modern professional rugby a winning team needs that dour, relentless discipline(that won England the game against the gallant Scots) that comes more readily to players of Anglo-Celtic tradition (viz the All Black winning blend of Maori/Islander speed and magic with the ruthless focus on a system( structure is the buzz word) of Scottish forebears) Ultimately this could be the poison that will lead to the eventual triumph of League and AFL over Rugby union, as more and more the technical nature of scrumming and rucking give most power to the refs-who rule unchallenged , like the priests over the bible before it was translated and printed in languages other than Latin. Of course it was necessary that having been given this "right" the populace had to accept "responsibility" for learning to read. I wonder what that thought reminds me of to-day??





GO SAMOA!
But on the other hand the spectators have saved the World cup so far from being dull-the dress of the crowds on Friday night was hilarious. I sat(quietly) amongst a trek of South Africans(Judging by the language of some of their vocal contributions, many were Africaners) and tried all night to keep the flags waved by blonde young women on either side of me , out of my eyes. The Queen(a man with a white off-the-shoulder dress and tiara ) was accompanied by uniformed, mask-wearing Harry and William look-alikes.


THE MOUNTY GETS HIS SEAT




Just two rows ahead were four burly mounties wearing red shirts with sergeants stripes and "Boy Scout" hats. The Springbok supporters were very vocal at first but went ominously silent as the late "cavalry" charges by Samoa almost carried the day.





SOUTH AFRICAN SOOTH SAYER
A young SA supporter flicked a switch and his whole body became a shimmering x-ray like rendition of the Soth African rainbow nation flag. But it was all good natured and when our bus returned to town the city centre was alive with prancing Samoan supporters celebrating their good go.
The Wallabies with Pocock back demolished Russia and showed what their backs can do when tricky moves and unreal passing come off. But poor Drew Mitchell added to the injury toll with a ham-string tear. Samo the giant forward was required to play on the wing and showed how fast and versatile he can be. So, as we say in Australia, now we come to the" business-end" of the quarter finals-especially for the Walllabies V Springboks. England V France, of more historical than rugby interest. Wales v Ireland should be a cracker (the young Welsh side has been exciting and the Irish are showing uncharacteristic discipline and coolness) The All Blacks again have possibly the easiest draw against a good Argentina but they are not as tough and effective as in France in 2007.





But, a dark cloud has begun to form over New Zealand's fortunes. Last night the Auckland based Warriors lost to Manly-much to the angst of a crowd in a Gisborne bar. Despite all my problems with"technical" rugby union and being born in the cloth-cap wearing part of England where it began, I really can't learn to like league. It was clear from the speculative and one-handed passing of the Warriors play-maker where Quade Cooper gets his inspiration and I predict his next move will be to League(where the tattoos are even denser-let's hope the footballers save enough of their high earnings for their plastic surgery bills when they have grown-up and cruel fashion has left them behind).




FIFTEEN HUNDRED COMBINED KILOS IN COMBAT
Flat, dense defensive lines, grapple and gang-tackling have infiltrated RU courtesy of League tackling coaches and are stifling scintillating runs by the backs-especially wingers who only seem to get the ball for brief kami-kaze dives to get inside the corner flag, with one or more tacklers trying to force them into touch(oh for the free flowing play of that wonderful All Blacks/Barbarians match in which one try involved handling by almost every Barbarian player(apologies to my new found ALL Black friend, Alistair for the painful memory)
Even worse, this morning's number one news item was the withdrawal of the All Blacks"play maker" Dan Carter with a "groin strain" His groin is on the front page of every paper and it has nothing to do with Murdoch's media ownership here. This has really rocked the nation and especially those in Christchurch who at least had Dan and the Captain to be proud of. The second news of the day was that the NZ PM would be flying the Australian flag at his next news conference having lost a bet on the NRL grand final with Julia Gillard(see, she can win sometimes-but as they said here, she would die for his poll ratings-election after the cup) Third was the price of milk for farmers.
Meanwhile in the real world, in a city where a finals crowd expands close to 100,000 and can be dispersed in about half an hour after the game, Collingwood returned to their more traditional role of proud losers. Perhaps Eddy Maguire( with Jeff kennet???) should go to Arizona for some high-altitude recuperative training. Bad luck for Mick Malthouse, he deserved better from his team and I wonder where he will go next.At least his replacement starts with nothing to lose. Well done Scott and his Cats. Eagles next year!!
I saw the first quarter at a friend's home and when I asked about the result in a pub, after the England Scotland game, the silence and bemusement was such that I might have asked "What's the time on the moon?" But the service there was very attentive and the manger raced off to consult the web and advised me of the satisfactory outcome(John Button-rest easy)
Monday morning. It's mild but going to be wet on the east coast of the North Island. So here's to a gentle two hour cruise down the coast road to stay in Napier for a few days(looking forward to the Art-Deco architecture) and get away from rugby and driving until I return to Auckland next weekend to attend a quarter final. A shower wouldn't go amiss having spent three nights in campsites bereft of that facility(NZ$15 per night). I am beginning to be offended by my own aroma!!
Somewhere else there is real and economic warfare and the environment is planning to kill us all off(unless the SCIENCE is only as "settled" as the theory of relativity) but not here-in New Zealand "It's all about rugby!!"