Unpredictable

Thanks for your comment Guy. Very exciting for me to get one on my blog. Interesting what you say about the AB's winning. Remember we (and I use that term loosely), have managed to be dreadful at most WC events so I have absolutely no expectations on that front. Interestingly, whether we win the thing or not, everyone still thinks we are the best. Not sure how that works. I hope you didn't think I was happy that England scored a zero, I was commenting on the undpredictability of things. Anyway...thanks again for reading and taking time to comment.



The media drives me mad a lot of the time for various misdemeanour offences and right now it is some of the stupid things they latch on to. I was thinking about this as I battled in to a head wind homeward bound on my bike. I guess they have to say stupid things and put theories out there to get people thinking and debating issues but bloody hell. Saying that low ranked countries shouldn't be at the tournament is just idiotic. What is wrong with having severely mismatched teams on the paddock getting a whipping, learning how to be humble, being sports men? If you carry that thinking over to the Olympics there would only be finals. No NZ representation in the 100m sprint, no big deal. Nothing like sending some expensive athlete over there to run for 11 seconds. I guess that would mean only have one team in the Tour de France; NZ shouldn't ever even try out for the soccer World Cup. We suck, we don't deserve to even have a go. You get my drift?! If you want to build a fee paying public and a massive worldwide audience you have to have real teams playing. Dumb arses.



Don't get me started on NZ Fashion week. Actually, got myself started. Both TV3 and TVNZ sent reporters to cover the event or hang out with a designer for the night. They were both looking for an angle ...the same one. Diva's and tantrums...and they couldn't find either...it is New Zealand after all...but did they shut up about it? No, wittered on and on trying to be funny but being really really stupid and boring. Bring on the grown ups, bring on the journalists. We miss them. Will leave the rest of that story for another day.



And here is a lovely photo of Nic in his crown dashing through the daffodils - just to end this rant on a happy note.

Mixing it up

I am loving the rugby. I am loving the fact that England scored a big fat zero and Georgia only finished 4 points behind Ireland. Georgia has 300 adult rugby players and eight grounds. Ireland is considered the sixth best team in the world.

You just can't tell what is going to happen next. I don't think the big teams are playing that well and I am thinking that must be about the need to have good competition to push you to play your best. Watching the All Blacks slaughter the Portuguese was not actually any fun. Being a nation that supports the underdog, I am sure we are all thrilled to see 13 points on the board for the best amateur team in the world. The Portuguese win the award for most enthusiastic anthem singing.

I think the TV3 team are starting to get better at their commentary and it is a hoot watching Merts trying to be serious while Ali Williams is giving him heaps. I think Merts should just be funny.

Mixing it up..made my first batch of cupcakes today. Wondering what the big deal is, I went to my many and varied food websites and checked out my cookbooks and found a delicious sounding recipe of which all the ingredients were lounging in the fridge and pantry.

Here it is - Donna Hay's Patty Cakes (as the call them in Aussie) - I finished mine with zesty lemon and butter icing. They are like sweet cakey muffins and they last for days. I shared mine with Joan when Nic and I went to see her lovely new home.

Patty Cakes

1 1/2 Cups self raising flour

2/3 cup caster sugar

155g butter

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 milk

1tsp vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and beat until they are well mixed (I softened the butter). Continue to beat until mixture is light and creamy. Spoon the mixture in to patty cases in tins to about 3/4 full. Bake in a preheated 180 degree oven for 20 minutes or until cakes are golden and cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool. There are lots of ways to serve these but you will work that out.

Rubbing your head on the carpet

Italy V Romania...It hasn't even finsihed yet but I feel compelled to get this off my chest. What I have been watching barely resembles a game of rugby as we are used to. Obviously Romania were out classed and just being fuckn annoying. And I am sure there are more injury breaks or little lie downs than there was actually footy. Dull Dull Dull. The commentators, who were very difficult to hear over the 25 piece band that was playing through the entire match, decided the referee was the 'man of the match'. And those yellow jersey's...showed the layers of blubber on the Romanians...a little less cake and a bit more training might be in order.

Nic asked Jonty yesterday if 'when you were a little boy, did you rub your head on the carpet? Because I can see where you wore off some of your hair'

NZ V ITALY

Not being able to stay up past 9.30, I took to the sofa at 8am on Sunday to watch the men in black destroy the Italians. Not a hugely exciting game really as a walk over is not so much fun. Having watched a couple live, I find them totally cringe making and I always feel sorry for the destroyed. Nevertheless, nice to see our team in fine form practising their moves and clever passes etc. I thought the performance they put in would not really be that great if they were playing Australia but realised that their game plan for the Italians would differ from that of the Aussies or another team.

I am also starting to worry about the fact that after one game against 'the fourth ranked team in Europe', that they are going to win. Hello!! Has no one been watching the world cup over the last 20 years??? Also the 4th ranked team in Europe is not really competition is it?

So, Dan Carter is amazing and so so so watchable, ball skills are fantastic, Doug Howlett is fun to watch. Forwards were working beautifully as a team.

Finally, TV3 can't really do the whole commentary, post match chat etc very well. They don't have the skills in their team. I am sure they are very knowledgable but they just don't have it. Andrew Merts tried but he has got a lot of work to do. It will be interesting to see how he improves over the tournament. Also, the quality of the picture is not great.

Webb Ellis Goofy

I have to admit that I am a closet rugby head and was up this morning watching the opening ceremony and the first game...Argentina (17) v France (12). I can see that I am going to get right in to this tournament and I REALLY want the All Blacks to win. Get annoyed with all the hype and blah blah but it is all good fun really.

My take on the game, for what it is worth. France played crap and Argentina deserved to win. They played strong defensive rugby and were relentless in their drive. Big buggers, great tacklers and passion. Loved the tears during the anthems. One exciting try from a turnover. Some good kicking but overall it was a grunt game. Heaps of blood, a visible lack of ball skills and fitness not that great. Watching this game, my first for a long time, you can see the difference in styles of rugby and I would have to say the Polynesian game is far more exciting and interesting to watch. I am probably biased though.

Also, what is with all the hair? The French guy with the beard and long hair, not tied up??? He could have been scalped or his hair could have flicked across someones eye and cut it...happens you know. I bet the chicks would never be able to play with their hair flailing all over the place.

Oh yes, the title of this entry. Teaching Nicholas from scratch about a) rugby and b) the world cup, has meant many many clarifying questions. One being the name of the trophy...The Webb Ellis Goofy. Kids are so cute.