Category: NZ

Election Day

Today is the official day of the New Zealand’s elections. Voting has been possible for the last 2 weeks or so but today is the final day and the day of the count.

It is surprising how other parts of the world pay attention to this place at “the arse end of the world” of 4.5million people.

The UK at least is watching with a live blog set up to follow the results as they come in.

Even the Telegraph gives some space:

Even the French have seen the Jacinda effect:

 

Time to go to the booths and fulfil my duty as a citizen.

NZIFF

Yesterday included seeing a film early after work; the first of our New Zealand International Film Festival excursions.

The Party was appreciated more by SQ and EQ than me. A play in film format showed the various selfish and unpleasant characters and their interrelationship. Despite fine acting, an interesting format and clever twists it did not grab me.

Plenty more to come.

Auckland trip 

So Joe Sara and l are here for game one.

After a good win against the Maori NZ team last week and a solid performance and win against a weakened Chiefs team, we arrive with confidence of at least a competitive match ahead.

So a rushed get away from work to the airport yesterday then with a bit of a delay. A long trip on the bus from Auckland airport was followed by a good meal at an Israeli restaurant. Something different but good.

Now fun and shopping today before the Warriors game.

Lions update

Tomorrow is the ‘fourth test’-that is how the game against the NZ Maori is usually described. And certainly the Lions came a cropper against them in 2005.

As ever the Lions needs a win, particularly having lost on Tuesday to the Highlanders by a point. It was a game that they were expected to win against a depleted Highlanders team that had players withdrawn as they were on All Blacks call-up and because of injuries.

The Highlanders game was a marked contrast to the Crusaders game- open and attacking. The lions played well in parts but worryingly continue to fail to finish off scoring chances. They also failed to control the game when in the lead mostly I think due to poor discipline and the giving away of penalties.Weaknesses exist and I do not know if they can be overcome.

Last Saturday the Lions beat the form  Super team with a power display with very effective defense. Maybe some things went their way that night.

The NZ Maori are full of some very good players. Of note, Matt Procter, currently playing for the Hurricanes and ex-St Pats Boy.

 

Carmen

Our annual trip to the Opera last night to see Carmen by the NZ Opera.

We have seen Carmen before, Sara at least twice and once for me. It is certainly a classic and so expectations were a little high. Unfortunately expectations were not met. The production seemed a little quiet and flat and the male lead did not seem to make the connection with us and possibly the rest of the audience. The applause at the end was polite rather than enthusiastic. A review in the Dom Post concurred overall.

So quite an expensive night out without reaching the heights. That is always the risk I suppose.

Let’s hope for greater success for the next cultural event.

 

Game 1: not as expected and not good

We watched the match with our red jerseys on( two anyway), bit oh how sorrowful.

It was certainly not the performance the or result that was expected. It could have been worse- a loss to a scratch team of players at best on the periphery of Super Rugby. The Lions were so slow, lacking composure, lacking basic skills and it seemed unable to tackle adequately. We ball in hand there seemed to be an individualistic rather team approach at crucial moments.

The schedule always looked hard but seems to have become more onerous overnight. Some players did not perform and may ahve already scuppered their chances of featuring in the test matches; Stuart Hogg made defensive errors and passing errors and Laidlaw looked detached. Sexton was very out of sorts while Farrell came on and brought sense of improved control.

A long way to go yet and plenty of scope for improvement.

New Zealand Provincial Barbarians 7 British and Irish Lions 13

: Error-ridden Lions labour to opening win

 
 

 

Anthony Watson dives over for the Lions

  • Mick Cleary, Rugby Union Correspondent, (match report) Toll Stadium, Whangarei

First the deluge, then the despair. The monsoon rains that afflicted Northland did ease but there was little blue sky thinking to be found among the few thousand Lions supporters who have made the long trek to New Zealand.