Seas & Skies
A picture which includes either the sea or sky is what’s required this month, there, that can’t be too difficult can it?
The winner will be announced once I’ve recovered from seeing in 2015, that should be some time in the afternoon of the 1st of January 2015!
For those of you who have missed my regular updates on the (non) performance / (non) progress of my Eastern Province rugby team, fear not, we still go, we still watch and we still leave disappointed!
Some may remember my post on our first match since rejoining the top tier of SA rugby not to long ago. Well not much has changed since then, our record in this year’s tournament now reads played 7 – lost 7.
Yesterday was no different, we started off not to badly, went behind to a couple of penalties, conceded a try, scored a beaut of a try ourselves and went into half time trailing by only 6 points, then the wheels fell off!
Most disappointing however was the crowd, in my many, many visits to our stadium for a variety of football and rugby matches yesterday’s crowd has to be the smallest that I’ve ever witnessed, I know, supporters love a winner!
Notwithstanding the result, a great day, great weather, great company.
Only one more home game left, so not much more of the agony to endure.
(until next year that is.)
…….
…..
The Currie Cup is reputed to be the oldest rugby provincial competition in the world and after a 12 year absence my Eastern Province is back in it!
It’s the top tier of S.A. rugby and yes, you’ve probably guessed by now we (EP) have never won it.
We won’t be winning it this year either but that matters not, the season kicked off last night with our first pool game against Western Province.
After our highly successful Super rugby campaign last year most of our players have been bought / stole / enticed away to ‘bigger’ clubs. (A Scottish bunch even enticed our coach away along with one of our best flankers!)
So, lots of new names to learn last night, lots of fringe players from last season getting a chance to step up to the big time lots of mistakes and drama but who cares (not me) another great night of rugby in our very own new stadium.
You can see that the Eastern Province team have reverted back to the famous Red and Black hoops kit, no more pandering to advertisers and promoters, no more dull black or white shirts that any true EP fans have absolutely no affinity with whatsoever, no, back to our famous red and black.
As you all know by know, results are hard to come by down here, suffice to say that we scored our first Currie Cup try in 12 years in the 32nd minute and led 11-10 at halftime, then the wheels fell off.
But a great evening, a great competition, it’s good to be back! Continue reading “Currie Cup ~ E.P. v W.P”
Here’s a pic one of my mates sent me while waiting for the bikes to arrive. Continue reading “Le Tour (Londres)”
And for a change it is a series!
Three games, the first here today (12.30 gmt), followed by games in …
Durban on Wednesday (16.00gmt)
… and up in Pretoria on Friday (16.00 gmt)
The T20 world cup starts next week (March 16) in Bangladesh, so the importance of this series is not to be underestimated. Form players have to be found, combinations (bowling & batting) established, team tactics planned and executed but more on that closer to the time.
This week is all about what is described as “The Fierce Rivalry”
For those enthralled by the recent Proteas / Aussie test series the Proteas side will look distinctly familiar. Of the selected 16 man squad 9 players represented South Africa in the recent 3 tests.
However, familiar faces are few and far between in the Aussie camp, of the 16 names I see on the squad published for this week I only recognise 3 from the test squad! Horses for courses I suppose?
I mentioned on the Newlands test post that I wasn’t sure if I would be going to watch this one, guess what? Continue reading “Sa v Oz – The T20 series”
During my early visits back in the ’80’s that huge stand you see on the right of picture didn’t exist, no, just the boundary rope, grass and another cricket field. The bar consisting of a rather large tent serving cans of beer out of galvanised bath tubs filled with ice took pride of place, other then that we just stood around and watched the cricket! Continue reading “Newlands – the 3rd test”
There is apparently much laughter, hilarity and lots of ‘lol’s’ over on the Daily Mail’s page which describes this photograph of an unfortunate shadow induced moustache as having gone viral and possibly ‘one of the most awkward in history’ (Em, I don’t think so.) Continue reading “Talking about moustaches”
These are the gates that I’ll be walking through tomorrow morning at 10 am, (1st ball 10.30, that’s 08.30gmt.)
I’m in the Long Room, tomorrow and over in the Duckpond Pavilion for the other days but more on that later. Continue reading “St George’s Park”
Ha ha, on the left you see the launch of the new Bulls super rugby home kit for the 2014 season, maintaining the traditional blue albeit with a few splashes of colour for effect, on the right you see the new away kit! The Bulls had a poor season this year, here’s hoping that they can see one another on the pitch in that camo shirt or things are going to get worse!
On the bright side, I’ve had a sneak preview of the cheerleaders outfits ….. Continue reading “Bulls shirt”
Boadicea's Chariot 