Shiiiiite

It was a very good day on Sunday.

I have known my mate Colin for almost 20 years, we have been through all kinds of stuff over that time and we both share a passion for the Union game. (Played by men with funny shaped balls).
Now I am sure egg chasing isn't for everyone but ever since young William Webb Ellis picked up the ball at Rugby school, the game has been played and supported by people who know how to appreciate sport and sportsmanship.
With this in mind, we were really looking forward to being at H.Q. (Twickenham) for the 2 biggest occasions of this year.

The opening of the new South stand, and England v New Zealand.

Twickenham stadium, being where it is, requires us to leave home allowing 6 hours to get to the ground.
It only takes 3 hours to get to the A316 at Staines but the 5 or so miles from there to the stadium can take another 2 hours, as we found out in 2004 when we got into the South Africa game with 5 minutes to kick-off.
We were in good time on Sunday and so we strolled over to the Guinness trailer, obtained a couple of pints of the good stuff and "did the car park"
It is a tradition at Twickenham, in the grounds behind the west stand, that a car park and general mingling area " The Village" is created. Club members and rugby gentlefolk gather with their Range Rovers and the like, with picnic hampers and folding chairs and all manner of fine things to eat and drink, to take in the atmosphere and socialise before the game.
Can't see that happening at Anfield or Old Trafford somehow!

Anyway, the new south stand just needs the roof putting on, but is complete in all other respects. The stadium now holds 82,500 ish, and we all boo'ed the right awful Tessa Jowell, MP for Culture, media and sport (yeah right), when she "opened" it. They did cut the sound of our displeasure out when it was shown on T.V. so I'm told.

So that was fun, then came The All Blacks.

I never expected England to win this game but to lose by a record margin was testament to the piss poor job being done by Andy Robinson as director of rugby.
Why sack most of the coaches but keep the guy who gave them the (mis) direction which lead to the six consecutive defeats we have now suffered.
I'm sure Rob Andrew will do something about this at some stage, but as far as this rant is concerned, we can forget the next 3 tests against Argentina and the Springboks, The Six Nations and next years World Cup because without new ideas and passion, we will be chasing the southern hemisphere again just like we always did.

I still shouted and sang for my Country as I always do, but we were also playing against a French referee and TMO (third match official) and 2 Aussie touch judges.
1 perfectly good try disallowed and some very dubious calls on the right hand touch line were enough to make me think we would not get too close by the end of the game, but 20 - 41 was a bit much.
My only disappointment was not seeing the best team in the World playing in the way for which they are famous. i.e fast, free flowing, running rugby.
Dan Carter is the best fly half in the World but surely he could run the ball or kick to touch from all the penalties England gave away rather than kicking for goal. I know he only missed 1 but that's not the point.

Anyway, we got stuffed, had a great day out, and got home in time for Colin's better half to supply us with a hearty meal and send us down the pub to console ourselves, so in all, it was a good day.

Looking forward to tomorrow and finding out what happened in the Mid Terms. Still with less than half the American voters actually exercising their only chance to make a difference, I suppose old George will still have some seats left to controlify the Country.

Long live democracy.