The rugby, itself thoroughly both enthralling and entertaining, was actually slightly superfluous on a day on which so many personal boxes were ticked I actually had to pinch myself on a few occasions just to prove I was not in club duvet in Cape Town …
Off to a slightly queasy and slow start given the traditional over clubbing the night before in our now home town of Waikanae – this time at the poshest restaurant in town rather than the blue collar sports bar of the night before – we eventually got the camper van to the station to catch the 11h07 through to Wellington …
Springbok jerseys and hard core South African accents abound in these parts – we really do like a tour to follow the Boks don’t we? But we had the pleasure of the company of a few old biddies on a ladies bowling club outing to the theater – on game day!
My accreditation pick up at the Wellington train station could not have gone more smoothly if I had had roller skates on – the RWC media operations people really have been super efficient and super friendly …
A quick, but necessary coffee at the station before catching a cab to Courtney Place – a cordoned off pedestrian only area filled with pubs, restaurants, coffee shops and stages with live music. Fish and chips to settle the tummy, and then to the Fan Zone for beer one in the Heineken Tent.
Bitingly cold in the wind and rain outside, ski gloves and jackets were not out of place, yet sweat inducing t-shirt stuff in the pubs – it was like playing a part in the Karate Kid movie … Jacket on, Jacket off!
But plenty $ 10.00 (R 65.00!) beers later – with Saffers from Hammies, Aussies from Brisbane, Irish sweeties from a Victorias Secret catalogue (ok, so we did not actually talk to them, but they were there) and of course Kiwis from, well New Zealand, and it was a 15 minute stroll to the Cake Tin …
Chirp of the day from locals pissing it up in a pub on the fan walk: To the Bok jersey wearers: “Bokke for a week, Bokke for a week” … To the Aus jersey wearers: “Airport, airport, airport” … Some serious cross Tasman hatred in these parts!
More media friendly operations people whisk me away from my Canterbury Campervan Crusade buddies to the warm glass enclosed press box on the top floor of the stadium … Which on the night turned out to be a life saver given the rain and arctic breeze … And we take in some stellar Welsh defense mixed with balanced attack as the Dragons outplay the Guinness guzzlers, despite having BOD amongst their ranks …
From seat in stadium to seat in train takes under 10 minutes, and it’s back to Waekenae to take in the second half of the mind blowingly hot and cold French taking out the traumatically boring Poms to blow my Superbru predictions to smithereens …
Speaking of which … My weekend predictions …
Ireland v Wales: Ireland by 7
England v France: England by 12
South Africa v Australia: South Africa by 3
New Zealand v Argentina: New Zealand by 19
So,as you can see, it’s not looking good for the Boks or the Kiwis!
But it’s Bok game day here in Wellington and excitement levels are at fever pitch … Bring on that train … Time to hit rewind, and play!
Below a few tour pics:
Yes, that would be $ 797.00 for one ticket! Land of the wounded buffalo territory this … And yes, that would be a cruise liner you can see parked behind the Cake Tin!
