Saturday, February 03, 2007
Rugby Defeat Can't Stop the Party!
Two main things to focus on today; my Mum's surprise birthday meal in Glasgow and the Six Nations Rugby match against England.
I was up at the crack getting ready and we headed off on the 2pm train. It was important to get to my sisters in time to watch the game before heading out to the surprise meal at the Piccolo Mondo in Glasgow.
It was a fantastic night. My Mum was suitably stunned by the whole thing, the restaurant was superb - food and service - and the whole thing was a laugh from start to finish. We had balloons, music, confetti, wine, champagne, laughter, and a 60th birthday cake with this on it (sorry Mum):
England 42 - 20 Scotland
Twickenham
Sat 3rd Feb, 2007
Being underdogs never helped. Scotland came away from Twickenham being well and truly thumped by a transformed English team, the sole difference, one Johnny Wilkinson. Before the match we knew if we gave away any penalties we would be made to suffer, for the man misses very few kicks. And as it turned out he kicked 5 successful penalties from 7 attempts, 2 conversions and a drop goal, taking his personal point total for the match to 27 of England's 42 total.
But it didn't all go their way at first. Scotland got off to a reasonable start, absorbing ten opening minutes of pressure, defending well, but painful to watch. If we could hold out, we thought, maybe weather the storm, then who knows.
Then England broke the deadlock from Wilkinson's boot, but by the end of the first quarter Scotland had taken the lead with a magnificent try by Simon Taylor, stunning the home crowd and sending the Scottish fans into unexpected cheer.
The TV showed Frank Hadden, the Scotland Coach, settle back into his seat in quiet confidence. What does he knew that we don't we asked. But England hadn't started playing. From then on there was only one team really in it.
England drew the first half to a close 17-10 up and although the more optimistic of us thought it could still be done, it had to be remembered that Scotland have only won down there twice in the last one hundred years (or something like that).
The second half began and I poured my third Guinness, fearing the worst. Despite a token try at the end of the match by Dewey, and an English try that should never have been allowed, we would still have been beaten.
We never tackled properly, handed them too many easy penalty points and left ourselves open at the line-outs. In short, we didn't do ourselves justice and made them look better than they are. The current Irish team are odds on to make mince-meat out of both Scotland and England when they meet, based on this performance.
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I was up at the crack getting ready and we headed off on the 2pm train. It was important to get to my sisters in time to watch the game before heading out to the surprise meal at the Piccolo Mondo in Glasgow.
It was a fantastic night. My Mum was suitably stunned by the whole thing, the restaurant was superb - food and service - and the whole thing was a laugh from start to finish. We had balloons, music, confetti, wine, champagne, laughter, and a 60th birthday cake with this on it (sorry Mum):
HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY MUM!
Her birthday isn't actually until the 9th, but the last surprise for her was the news she is being whisked off to London next week for a very long weekend.
England 42 - 20 Scotland
Twickenham
Sat 3rd Feb, 2007
Being underdogs never helped. Scotland came away from Twickenham being well and truly thumped by a transformed English team, the sole difference, one Johnny Wilkinson. Before the match we knew if we gave away any penalties we would be made to suffer, for the man misses very few kicks. And as it turned out he kicked 5 successful penalties from 7 attempts, 2 conversions and a drop goal, taking his personal point total for the match to 27 of England's 42 total.
But it didn't all go their way at first. Scotland got off to a reasonable start, absorbing ten opening minutes of pressure, defending well, but painful to watch. If we could hold out, we thought, maybe weather the storm, then who knows.
Then England broke the deadlock from Wilkinson's boot, but by the end of the first quarter Scotland had taken the lead with a magnificent try by Simon Taylor, stunning the home crowd and sending the Scottish fans into unexpected cheer.The TV showed Frank Hadden, the Scotland Coach, settle back into his seat in quiet confidence. What does he knew that we don't we asked. But England hadn't started playing. From then on there was only one team really in it.
England drew the first half to a close 17-10 up and although the more optimistic of us thought it could still be done, it had to be remembered that Scotland have only won down there twice in the last one hundred years (or something like that).
The second half began and I poured my third Guinness, fearing the worst. Despite a token try at the end of the match by Dewey, and an English try that should never have been allowed, we would still have been beaten.
We never tackled properly, handed them too many easy penalty points and left ourselves open at the line-outs. In short, we didn't do ourselves justice and made them look better than they are. The current Irish team are odds on to make mince-meat out of both Scotland and England when they meet, based on this performance.
Getting beat by England always hurts, but there is a long way to go as far as the championship goes.
In the earlier match played today, Italy were beaten at home by France 39 points to 3. Wales play Ireland tomorrow.
is out on
MARCH 2nd 2007
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Labels: Glasgow, poetry fiction, Scottish rugby, six nations
Colin 1:04 pm