Rugby v football
Well it's Thursday and there hasn't been a phone call promising a day to remember at the Rugby Union World Cup final. It's too much to hope. World Cup finals are reserved for A-list clients in corporate entertainment and I doubt if I'm even C-list.
Besides I prefer to watch my rugby with the same lads who have been getting together for Twickenham matches for the past 30 years. The routine is always the same. A few beers before the match, always at the same pub in the same few square feet at one end of the bar, then down to the bus and a sing song on the top deck all the way to the ground. Always the same songs.
When we were in our early twenties we used to look at the "old farts" in their Barbour raincoats and wonder whether we would turn out like that - and we did. But we still have a lot of fun.
The routine changed a bit when they built the new stand and got rid of the old West Stand bar where a chap in a sheepskin coat we used to know as Beastie would climb on to the stanchions and go through his Beastie routine.
I like the home internationals and the odd trip to Ireland or France because its an opportunity for blokes to be blokes, tell a few jokes, have a few debates that never get too serious, drink a bit more than we should and sometimes fall over although there is always a magical homing instinct that somehow transports you back to your doorstep.
One of the lads, Simon, sent over a great link to this rugby inspired piece of viral marketing. It made me laugh anyway. Simon's is the Philanderer blog listed down the side of mine. Rugby tours, golf, tours, what's the difference? As he explains here, some things never change.
I can't see England winning on Saturday but then I couldn't see them beating the Australians or France. I don't think my old ticker can stand another tight match. But another Springbok walk over is also too shameful to contemplate. As Stuart, another rugby mate, said after South Africa's 36-0 beating of England earlier in the tournament, "England were lucky to score nil" on that occasion.
Could England walk over South Africa? I very much doubt it. But we can dream. How about 21-0 to England at half time? Even in that unlikely event I would still be biting my nails with some justification.
I'm not superstitious but some people believe that things go in threes. Suppose the England football team has kicked off a run that includes the loss of the world cup final this weekend and Lewis Hamilton losing out in Brazil? I'm really very very sorry for planting that thought but a worry shared is a worry halved so there you have it. Go England!
Besides I prefer to watch my rugby with the same lads who have been getting together for Twickenham matches for the past 30 years. The routine is always the same. A few beers before the match, always at the same pub in the same few square feet at one end of the bar, then down to the bus and a sing song on the top deck all the way to the ground. Always the same songs.
When we were in our early twenties we used to look at the "old farts" in their Barbour raincoats and wonder whether we would turn out like that - and we did. But we still have a lot of fun.
The routine changed a bit when they built the new stand and got rid of the old West Stand bar where a chap in a sheepskin coat we used to know as Beastie would climb on to the stanchions and go through his Beastie routine.
I like the home internationals and the odd trip to Ireland or France because its an opportunity for blokes to be blokes, tell a few jokes, have a few debates that never get too serious, drink a bit more than we should and sometimes fall over although there is always a magical homing instinct that somehow transports you back to your doorstep.
One of the lads, Simon, sent over a great link to this rugby inspired piece of viral marketing. It made me laugh anyway. Simon's is the Philanderer blog listed down the side of mine. Rugby tours, golf, tours, what's the difference? As he explains here, some things never change.
I can't see England winning on Saturday but then I couldn't see them beating the Australians or France. I don't think my old ticker can stand another tight match. But another Springbok walk over is also too shameful to contemplate. As Stuart, another rugby mate, said after South Africa's 36-0 beating of England earlier in the tournament, "England were lucky to score nil" on that occasion.
Could England walk over South Africa? I very much doubt it. But we can dream. How about 21-0 to England at half time? Even in that unlikely event I would still be biting my nails with some justification.
I'm not superstitious but some people believe that things go in threes. Suppose the England football team has kicked off a run that includes the loss of the world cup final this weekend and Lewis Hamilton losing out in Brazil? I'm really very very sorry for planting that thought but a worry shared is a worry halved so there you have it. Go England!
Labels: Barbour, Beastie, old farts, Rugby dump, Simon Weathers, Springbok, Twickenham
posted by Richard Donkin at
2:19 PM
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