An excellent game
September 14th, 2008 at 9:02 am by David FarrarThe Gods smiled on me yesterday as around lunchtime I got a phone call from a mate asking if I would be interested in watching the Wellington Lions vs Waikato game from a corporate box. Well that was a tough decision, so happily cancelled previously made plans. A few of us met at a friend’s place just down the road from me. As we walked to the stadium I persuaded them all on how we should lobby to get the bridge from the bottom of Davis Street to the stadium re-established. It would be great for Thorndon residents and cut 15 minutes off the journey.
The first quarter was amazing as the Lions scored four tries to be 26 – 0 up. And they were good tries too – great running and dodging. It was really all over at that point.
Waikato did well to fight back, but never looked like they would win. The final score was 45 – 33, with 12 tries scored in total – a great game to watch. And of course after match drinks were also fun.
Wellington owes Fran Wilde, and others, a huge thanks for making the Stadium happen. It has just transformed sports attendance rates in Wellington.
Very cute watching teams of six year olds playing on the ground before the big match.
Anyway Wellington now leads the points tables with 7 from 7. Next week is the challenge against Auckland for the Ranfurly Shield.
Tags: rugby, Sport
September 14th, 2008 at 9:08 am
I’m sure it was good DPF…….but I think it’s fair to say the Gods smiled on the AB’s too
Dan Carter should be knighted!!
Vote:September 14th, 2008 at 11:29 am
DPF – yes, it was a spectacular match from down in the Plebs seats too! Great family atmosphere created in the crowd too with the free-entry-for-kids offer – excellent idea.
Vote:September 14th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Looking good to see Wellington lift the shield for the first time in a long time. Although shield games are always tough. Lets hope they can do it.
Vote:September 14th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I’ve only watched one Shield match in my life (Wellingtonians under 50 have had few chances).
Sadly it was the game we lost it to Canterbury in 1982.
To make matters worse, I was surrounded by my Christchurch cousin and his drunken uni mates who’d come up for the game. The image of Wayne Smith darting through for the winning try still haunts.
Does anyone know who the first few challengers would be if we beat Auckland? On the few occasions Wellington has won the log in the last half century, they’ve surrendered it like a hot potato to the first decent team that came along.
Now that we seem to have a decent team ourselves, would it be too much to hope that they could keep it for, say, ten matches?
Vote:September 14th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
If we win then we defend it the next week against Tasman. If we sucessfully defend then we need to find room in the trouphy cabinet to store it over the summer as we have no further home round robin matches. Wonder if there is any chance they will bring the ABs stright back into it or will they stick with the winning combos?
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