It started off so well: they said we made a perfect blog meet location. Historic Heidelberg, an Irish pub, Super Saturday. Three nations with a chance of vying for the title. Then the nasty wee bugger cancelled some matches, participants dropped off like superannuated flies, and – with 24 hours to go – the one remaining scheduled match was nixed.
Some of us, made of stronger stuff, were undaunted by the prospect of a pandemic along the lines of Stephen King’s The Stand. We, the strong, the proud, the possibly foolish: Boanova, DropTheClaw, Meades, Xan, the mister and me, and of course our noble, gracious and hard-working hosts, Mister and Missus Iks.
We’d all arrived by Friday evening, so got down to business immediately at Vetter’s. Boa and Xan had arrived a couple of days before, and had some important information to impart.
Boa and Xan’s Top Tourist Tip for Heidelberg: What Not to Visit
As every fule kno, Gurgle is your go-to site for local attractions. Imagine our heroes’ excitement when they found something called the Königstuhl. The King’s Stool! It must be an ancient throne (or something): off we go!
The way was long and weary, 13 km straight up a mountain, but our intrepid adventurers persevered, battling off trolls, Nazgûl, plagues of locusts and football fans. At last, weary and wiping the sweat from their brows, they reached the summit, and found … a construction site.
And a bus stop.
The Plans
Given that there was no rugby on the morrow, a discussion ensued on what to do. The decision was taken to meet at the Irish pub as planned, so the poor buggers had some business, footfall in pubs and restaurants being noticeably down.
MissusIks also promised to find a rugby ball. Our bits perked up.
The Big Day
We all congregated at The Dubliner, only two hours late, and obviously much hilarity ensued. Which shall mostly be hush-hush. But I have previously reported that some of the lads disappeared down an alley-way with the rugby ball, which subsequently suffered the sad fate pictured above. But it remained unpunctured, as you will see.
The next port of call was the Bar Centrale, which was sadly neglected by other customers, but which did serve the greatest G&T ever experienced, and also had a square opposite that was perfect for ball-wanging. It was an unfortunate pass that hit me in the face, bloodied my nose, and sent my glasses clattering to the floor. Fortunately the glasses were uninjured except for the imprint of the ball’s pattern on the lens, discovered in the morning.
Such is the stuff from where dreams are woven.
Then off to dinner, with an enormous bottle of wine courtesy of MissusIks.
Vowing to the rugby gods to return in happier – or at least, less contagious – times, we said our goodbyes.
Ovally Balls 
Just watching that for the first time since it was close ish until the last 15 mins.
We made some daft decisions though.
LikeLike
WE’re having aperitifs with family in Canada on Friday evening…………………via facetime/skype
LikeLike
Although, we never looked like winning.
LikeLike
Craigs I said the other day that I watched it for the first time sober last week and it was much tighter than the final score (32-12 to the Boks for those with hazy memories) suggests. And that England’s decisiondecision-making let them down on occasion. Although much of that due to the ferocious defence of the Boks.
LikeLike
Decision McDecisionface.
LikeLike
‘Denver mayor forced to reverse lockdown of alcohol and marijuana shops following panic buying’
So that’s where Avs’ has been
LikeLiked by 2 people
If you’re gonna use your one walk a day, you may as well use it to show your disapproval of that cock* Tim Martin:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ET8jbytWsAUk489?format=jpg&name=large
LikeLiked by 1 person
Deebs – early in the game England started playing wide behind the try line. Not sure wtf that was about.
I hope we learn from it. The one thing we haven’t been able to do is solve problems during a match. If we can do that we’ll be less prone to this sort of thing.
LikeLike
And the effing boks were bloody brilliant.
LikeLike
I hope you don’t learn from it. No offence. Well, not too much anyway. Ah, fuck, ramp it up!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh shit. Didnt see your last comment. I’m sure England have many gifted leaders who’ll learn from that and take the team to new heights. Cough. (Into me elbow).
LikeLiked by 2 people
On catch up here – as like many I’m part of a huge social experiment to see how mass home schooling works (luckily eldest is reasonably self-motivated and his secondary school already used Office 365 and email to send homework back-and-forth). For the 2 still at primary (technically a middle school really) – it’s more ad hoc but we print off the day’s work and try to set an agenda – do this …check back with me, do that…. take a break, this might be fun to do next…etc etc
LikeLiked by 1 person
@claw – great to see the photos from Heidelberg….
LikeLike
@ticht
I recall a similar E+W vs I+S back in 1972 or 73…. celebrating the foundation of the SRU?? IIRC it wasn’t as close as 1980. Be interesting to see it again… who would you pick for Scotland/Ireland?
also reminds me of the RFU centenary game in 71 – England vs “President’s Overseas XV” – my hazy recollection is of Ian Kirkpatrick running riot….
LikeLike
Well, that’s most of where I work furloughed. Gonna be me and 3 others in the office from now on.
And I thought it was quiet the last couple of days.
LikeLike
Haha no offence taken Deebs.
LikeLike
trisk, there were 3 of those E/W v I/S games. I was only alive for the 1980 match. Do remember the IRB centenary games in 1986 – a terrible game in Cardiff between the Lions and the ROW and then at Twickenham the 5 Nations v the SH. I went to that and saw Danie Gerber playing. He was brilliant – whisper it but better than Sella.
When I was very very young I remember a Lions v Baabaas game at Moseley (?). That would have been at Moseley for Sam Doble’s Memorial. It was on the telly and the teams were choc-a-bloc with stars.
LikeLike
Trisk, I’m a bit dismayed with that ATL photo up there, as the lovely Thauma has face-masked herself unnecessarily, while I’m there with my full simpleton face on.
LikeLike
Ah, just checked and had it wrong. the Lions-Baabaas was at Twickenham – maybe for the Silver Jubilee?
The Sam Doble game was Moseley v an International Rugby Writers XV. They picked a strong side:
15 J P R Williams (Bridgend/Wales); 14 P J Squires (Harrogate/England), 13 S P Fenwick (Bridgend/Wales), 12 T G R Davies (Cardiff/Wales), 11 A R Irvine (Heriot’s FP/Scotland); 10 P Bennett (Llanelli/Wales), 9 G O Edwards (Cardiff/Wales); 1 F E Cotton (Sale/England), 2 P J Wheeler (Leicester/England), 3 G Price (Pontypool/Wales), 4 W B Beaumont (Fylde/England), 5 A J Martin (Aberavon/Wales), 6 T J Cobner (Pontypool/Wales), 8 D L Quinnell (Llanelli/Wales), 7 A Neary (Broughton Park/England)
Replacements Jan Webster (Moseley/England), A Ripley (Rosslyn Park/England), A G Faulkner (Pontypool/Wales), R W Windsor (Pontypool/Wales), A Old (Sheffield/England)
LikeLike
Lions – Baabaas:
LikeLike
Refit – why am I not surprised that you’re one of the few kept on?
Iks – wouldn’t want to scare everyone.
LikeLike
Thaum – I am doing almost 2 1/2 jobs, so made myself pretty handy.
LikeLike
“wouldn’t want to scare everyone”
Quite right. Iks’ non-simpleton face is terrifying.
LikeLiked by 2 people
@Trisk, right now I’d pick
Sutherland, McInally, Furlong, Ryan, Hendo, Ritchie, Watson, Stander
Cooney, Finn, Stockdale, Scott, Ringrose, Graham, Hogg
Healy, Herring, Fagerson, Gray, Doris, G. Horne, Hastings and I’m torn between Larmour’s potential and Maitland’s last couple of games
I’ll admit my bias in a few of those picks, but it would be an exciting team to watch
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thankfully in these troubled times, I can sit and wallow in the Repair Shop for an hour.
LikeLiked by 1 person
BB – they’re shaking hands!!
LikeLike
,blockquote>While the Bulls have yet to make the announcement, a recent report by Netwerk24, revealed the only obstacle delaying (Jake) White’s appointment as the Bulls’ new director of Rugby is the global Coronavirus pandemic.
So not all bad this coronavirus.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thaum – obviously filmed a long, long, time ago!
LikeLike
Steve’s about to look at a REALLY old clock. I’m going to help him by drinking some Talisker.
LikeLike
The jukebox story didn’t cause any eye moisture at all, at all.
LikeLike
@Ticht
Not a bad selection. I probably wouldn’t have Stockdale on recent form … Conway or Larmour. A fit (and fully firing) Leavy and Carbery would have to be considered.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree about Stockdale; I’d pick Baloucoune instead.
LikeLiked by 1 person
BB – it’s astonishing how things filmed even three weeks ago look wrong now.
LikeLike
I recall seeing him in 83 or 84 for SA vs touring team (England?). He was devastating…
LikeLike
Thaum – I know. I’m always amazed at the enthusiasm the experts have for the stuff that’s brought in. I think they love the challenge of fixing things.
LikeLike
And yes, there was absolutely NO grit in my eye at that jukebox story.
LikeLike
My theory is that there may be a lot of film in the Reject bin where the repairs are fucked up….
LikeLike
Albert Uderzo, les hommages joyeux des dessinateurs
https://amp.lefigaro.fr/bd/albert-uderzo-les-hommages-joyeux-des-dessinateurs-20200325
For those of you who like Uderzo.
Stay well OvallyBalls players.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yup, like in this exclusive extract….
*Adopt best Bill Paterson voice*
“Today in the Repair Shop, Ticht will attempt to bring the music back to a banjo brought in by Miss Thaumatarge”
Ticht – “Nah, can’t fix this, it’s fucked, good and proper. Look as though its been bashed against a wall a few times.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oops – ThaumatUrge. Sorry.
LikeLike
Billy Vunipola has confirmed he is not leaving Saracens and will play in the Championship next season
LikeLike
OT – be more like this.
LikeLike
“I recall seeing him in 83 or 84 for SA vs touring team (England?). He was devastating…”
Just watched the highlights of the first test from that tour. He does a fairly nasty knee-drop on an England player in the first half. In the second half his main contributions are a monstrous 22 dropout and a lovely try which after a lucky break then shows off his running style but is also notable for a lack of intent from Dusty Hare.
Didn’t realise there were any black players playing for the Boks then.
LikeLike
Brief highlights of another Sco/Ire vs Eng/Wal game, from the 70s. Includes the Sainted Bill on commentary. Also misses most of the build up to the tries.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Think I prefer Scotland-Ireland in the quarters and Wales-England in the hoops.
LikeLike
BB – afraid your plot doesn’t hang together. What would be the point of trying to get a *shudder* banjo fixed, once you’d successfully destroyed it?
LikeLike
Daniel Gerber is revered in SA. Scored tries at will despite having Naas Botha kicking the leather off everything at 10. Actually, Botha had a great eye for when it was on and was very quick off the mark. And had a quick pass which allowed him to have the only white shorts at the end of a match.
LikeLike
LikeLike
@BB – found that film after I’d posted about the game…
my recollection is Ireland having Gibson at 12 mainly (2nd 5/8th I suppose) – I know he played 10 earlier in hsi career – from the highlights it looks like that was a chance missed.
I don’t suppose any of us are old enough to recall the politics of that (recall also that he was 12 in NZ with the Lions)
LikeLike
He played with the Lions when he was 12? I knew he was some player, but…
LikeLike