Tag: Test

Boks vs England – June 2012

My Programme

Perhaps the worst game of rugby that I have ever attended!

Our hopes were raised for a couple of spectacular events, our Baby Boks started proceedings at Newlands (Cape Town) on Friday night, they beat the Baby Blacks 22-16 to claim the IRB Junior World Cup in an absolutely awesome game of rugby. This after progressing through a difficult group (England, Ireland, Italy) and a tough semi (Argentina.)

Saturday started well enough, (members may recall that I was an invited ‘VIP’ courtesy of Castle Lager, the title sponsor)  a gathering at a local sports club, transport to the brewery and a super lunch.

It went quickly downhill from there.

Our tickets were awful, (on the goal line, front row ABOVE the boxes.) If I’d known I would have kept my original ones and binned these.

The VIP area was a well structured tent, adequate, plenty of beer and grub (burgers, beef or chicken!) with inadequate seating and no service or refuse bins!

As I’ve said, the match was awful, our viewing position didn’t help but not a good game, the English were understrength (not their fault) and we should have torn them apart, Continue reading “Boks vs England – June 2012”

Guess what?

Thought that I’d share my good fortune with fellow members.

Although I already have super tickets for Saturday’s test here at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (5 of them bought just a couple of days after ticketing opened, see here) I just had to simply share my delight at the phone call I received this evening.

You’ve all probably guessed by now, I’ve won them!

The small print says, ‘transport, brewery tour, meals and free beer’

Am I a lucky boy or wot?

9º

Good grief it’s cold!

This is about as cold as it gets, as I left the pub where we watched the rugby my car was showing 9º Centigrade, factor in the wind chill perhaps an effective 4º, it’s also pouring with rain, most unpleasant.

Perhaps you’d think that a 22 – 17 Springbok victory would cheer me up, well…. yes and no.

I had 22 – 12 in the pool, that was the score when the full time hooter sounded, I had the result on the nose!

But then Ben Foden touched down in the 82nd minute to spoil what was in any case a glorious afternoon.

Jo’burg next week and then right here in Algoa Bay on the 23rd, can’t wait!

 

The NZ series’

Today is the 1st day of the 3 match test series over in New Zealand. (You can listen to NZ radio commentary here)

Dunedin’s University Oval at 45° South is the most southerly international cricket venue in the world and as one would expect today’s start was delayed by rain, which is rather frustrating considering that I stayed up till 11.30pm to watch the first ball. The morning session was rained out, I passed out to awake with The Proteas at 90/4 and that after being 86/1 at tea!

It’s been a rather nice tour, we’ve called it the 333 tour (3 T20’s, 3 ODI’s and 3 tests) a pleasing format.

Wiki tells me that Dunedin is nicknamed ‘The Edinburgh of the South.’ Dunedin is of course more well known for it’s Carisbrook rugby stadium (The house of pain) a ground which the Springboks had never won at ’till a famous victory back in 2008.

(Play starts 9:30pm GMT)

No it doesn’t! Play will start 30 minutes early on day 2 (9:00pm GMT) to make up for time lost to today’s rain.

England here we come

No, no, I’m not going to the land of the wheel clamper or that place where the supermarkets / banks rule supreme!

I’m not going where black isn’t and white shouldn’t.

In fact England is coming to me!

Perhaps I should say us.

Bought our tickets for the Test Match today (thank you Eastern Province ANC branch for insisting that your comrades here in the Eastern Cape have an opportunity to watch world class rugby [and no, you’ll never get my vote])

Yep, the English are coming (oops, was that Paul Revere?) we’ll be here to welcome them!

Members may recall when I took my daughter to watch England play in the FIFA 2010 world cup, I’ve bought her a ticket for this one but she doesn’t want to come along 😕