Sevens weekend

The social event of the year. Sold out months in advance (although loads of tix going on Facebook in the last few days), and when a colleague offered us her tickets, I was super super excited. The Hong Kong Sevens. For years friends and I have talked about going and once they started having kids, we just never got round to it. It's basically three days of Koningsdag, plus networking. Loads of corporate boxes in the stadium and for weeks people (read: partners) at work had been talking about who would have how many allocations to invite clients.

We went on the Friday, which I guess can be described as quiet. The big countries don't start playing till 6pm and when we got there around 3pm, the South Stand (Party Central) was still pretty empty. As I really wanted to see the matches (read: Sonny Bill Williams, nr. 12 in pix below), we found seats a bit closer to the action but with a good view of the South Stand.

And despite being a bit quieter (or more sober at least) than the weekend days, it was really, really good fun. Some good rugby, a great atmosphere in the stadium, and easy to get booze and food. The opening ceremony included a dragon dance with a dotting of the eye ceremony, and to my excitement Brian O'Driscoll was one of the 'dotters'! David Hasselhoff was the other, but hey....I saw BOD!

Definitely something to do again next year, will mark the 2017 dates as soon as they're announced! And I'll make sure I won't end up like this fella :-)  (photo taken by a friend this arvo)

Ruggers in Cardiff

Mary and I went to Cardiff last week to watch Ireland play Wales. We didn't get the result we wanted, but what a fantastic day. The Millennium Stadium is spectacular and the fans of both teams are just the best. The bloke in the picture is an Irishman, fresh of the boat to County Clapham. He decided to marry Mary there and then. Something to do with her relos having road facing land...

I wrote a blog for a Dutch sports blog - in Dutch. Sorry non-Dutchies, too lazy to translate!

Sports junkie

Between the Six Nations and cricket world cup, little is happening in my life. This time of the year I am generally anti social due to the ruggers, but throw in a cricket world cup as well and I am a true hermit until 7pm on weekends. Last weekend was a rugby free weekend, so I went to the Dam to catch up with friends. But that's about it as far as day time socialising goes.

The weekend of 12 March will be reasonably sociable, as my rugby mad friend Mary will be visiting. And thanks to a rugby playing colleague, I got allocated two tickets to the Wales-Ireland game. Mary and I will spend about 8 hours travelling for less than 2 hours rugby. But hey ho. It will be my best chance to watch this great sport at the Millenium Stadium.

From 3 April onwards, my own sociable self will reappear. Until then: sports it is!

Invictus

It tells the beautiful story of the special bond between Nelson Mandela and Francois Pienaar, captain of the Bokke at the time of Mandela's presidency. Pienaar grew up in a traditional white Afrikaner family. His team mates are all white, except for Chester Williams. Most of his team mates refused to sing nkosi sikelel' iafrika when preparing for the World Cup. Slowly but steadily, the team (and the country) realise they are part of a rainbow nation. And whether is was Mandela giving them strength or something else, Pienaar leads his team to a victory in the 1995 World Cup, beating the All Blacks in the final (with a cameo by Jonah Lomu). I easily cry when it comes to sport, but this flick touched me at many times. And it brought me back to Pretoria, 1997.


The still predominantly white team had been losing match after match. That didn't stop myself and thirteen fellow students to get tickets for the Tri Nations match agains 'Straya in the stadium in Pretoria. A beautiful afternoon in August. A slightly strange afternoon activity after a morning visit to Soweto, but so be it. South Africa had to beat Australia by 31 points or so. Not very likely considering their last matches. But they won 61-22. It wasn't the result however that impressed us so much. Fourteen Dutch students in rugby stadion will sing football songs. No way around it. And who cares? Well. Some people did. The Boers from Orange Free State behind us did, to be precise. In Afrikaans they asked us if it were football songs we were singing. Followed by comments that football was for kaffers, their president was a criminal, and what have you. We were shocked rather than angry. These men probably didn't know any better, having been indoctrinated all their lives. In front of us, some of the players' parents were sat. English speaking, friendly, courteous. They seemed to enjoy our enthousiasm and provided an endless supply of tangerines, beer and biltong. A good balance with the racists behind us.

I spent three months in South Africa in '97. But that afternoon, in that stadium, summed it all up for me. And it was the beginning of a strong love for a hooligan's game played by gentlemen.

Stupid stupid weather

It looked so promising yesterday. Blue sky. Sun. On my walk along the Thames I saw these crocuses. I didn't need to wear my wintercoat. And to add to my happy springy state, Ireland won the ruggers and Bridge didn't shake Terry's hand which looked damn funny. Then today. It was pissing down on my way to the gym. Still raining on my way back. I am sneezing again. And yesterday's good mood is pretty much gone.

Please please please weather gods, stop messing about. You've had your fun. Now give us spring.

Sports sports sports

After yet another week of cardio, pilates, aerobics and more cardio, I am pretty pleased to see a decrease in centimeters and a more toned body. The hard work is paying off. And the great feeling after a hard work out is so worth the effort.

The Irish' rugby team's hard work didn't pay off quite as much today. They lost miserably from the frogs. After a hugely exciting Wales-Scotland match, Les Verts broke their winning spell. Unlucky 13, after having won 12 matches in a row.

Now I am counting on Sven Kramer to make my day from a sports perspective. If only he can skate towards gold tonight.... While I am listening to Jochem Uytdehaage on the radio, I go back to the Salt Lake Olympics in 2002. While Jochem was skating his 10k, I was driving home from a farewell party of a colleague. I broke my own speed record on the A10, cheering and shouting whilst driving, hoping to catch the last laps. Just when I reached my exit, Jochem won gold. Tears of happiness running down my cheeks. Today I am lucky to have the combination of BBC internet and Dutch Radio 1. Go Sven Go! Make our day!

Weekend

Mary is here, the Six Nations are starting and I am about to cook a lovely meal with fresh fish and veg from Borough Market. What more could a girl want?

Sas is diggin' the spring

A house full of daffodils, blue sky, balcony door open, run along the Thames and shopping in leggings, t-shirt and flip flops (the latter I also wore on X-mas eve but I got fewer weird looks this time). It's spring and I'm loving it.

Now if only England could beat France in Twickenham in the next hour and a half, then life would be even better. Not that I have stopped being an ABE supporter. But I dislike the frogs even more and an England win would be good for Ireland. Ah, Six Nations, gotta love it!

Weekend

A fun filled weekend. The Leonard Cohen concert on Friday was amazing, all 2.5 hours of it. Amazing how a man his age can still perform like that. He had an amazing band, sang all my fav songs and I was really moved by it all. Amazing, to use that word for a fourth time...

Then yesterday was my introduction to Twickenham. Pub, Hodge's (a mate of a mate who lives near the grounds with his wife and three gorgeous daughters), match, Hodge's, pub. Then Burger King on the way home. Keeping up with Australian men is not a clever thing, as my hangover told me this morning. Must have had about ten pints. 30 laps in the pool and 10 minutes in the steam room got rid of most of the hangover but I still feel a bit rough.

Stuff

Leonard Cohen gig, England-Australia @ Twickenham, another dinner at the Commonwealth club, Annie Leibovitz exhibition, Manon (a ballet) , Donovan Frankenreiter gig and a daytrip to Brighton. All in the next two weeks. How exciting!!