KeithQuinnRugby
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You are here: Home » All Blacks year by year » 2014 » 2014 All Black tour Diary » AB tour diary Days 4-5 in London, Lille 8-9 November 2014
9 November 2014
All Black Dairy Days 4 and 5 2014
Day 4 was Saturday November 8 2014.
Our tour buses were scheduled to leave the hotel at midday. Your wise old correspondent thought this would be too late for an arrival at Twickenham at a reasonable hour, especially with a packed attendance expected. So we left at 11.30am. And then arrived at the famous ground far too early!
It was no matter as everyone in our two travelling groups were really 'amped' for being at the ground and taking in the atmosphere.
After a really impressive buildup of anthems, singing and the moment's silence the game itself started out in dry weather. In the end it really hosed down such as I have never seen before at Twickenham. Luckily our seats were high enough to be clear of the storm.
Afterwards to move the Quinn and Loveridge supporters groups through the departing hoards was a bit of an issue, especially as the rain continued. But it was the good humour of our people (the All Blacks having won the game really helps) and the rain storm which also assisted the people to hurry to the bus park. Nevertheless one of our party of nearly 80 people got separated from the 'bunch' and as he was from my tour old muggins had to go back through the rain to find him.
Fortunately with some wet weather pants found at the bottom of my kit and a cell phone our misplaced bloke was quickly located. He had just followed the wrong group coming out of the ground. With everyone dressed in similar parka's and plastic who could blame him really. Then we travelled back to the hotel with a gentle buzz of satisfaction in the bus at the smoothness of the day's arrangements - not to mention the result of the game.
In the evening a few drinks 'went west' in celebration of the victory. There's something about wee New Zealand beating the 'Mother Country' which still lingers warmly in the minds of Kiwis. That feeling, which dates back to the first win in 1905, certainly made the beer taste sweeter tonight.
Day 5 was Sunday November 9 2014.
Up early today at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel and this time it was our two travelling groups to be on the coaches for a short ride to St Pancreas Station. Today we are riding to France on the Eurostar train service. We are headed to Lille in the north. The ride on Eurostar was as smooth as silk, a pleasure to be on board in fact.
We are heading to France to be here ahead of the Commemorations tomorrow of the start of WWI. Our presence here will be particularly poignant having seen the poppies at the Tower of London the other day. Tomorrow we will have just a glimpse of how the French nation will reflect on the same war's beginning.
In Lille we are staying at the Mercure Hotel and while it is modern and well-appointed, right next to the main 'Grande Place' there has been some merriment expressed by our people at the size of the rooms. The words 'tres petite' come to mind!
We are here for two nights. After our visit to the war sites tomorrow we will be in Paris by nightfall.
It's a good tour we are having with nice Kiwi people on board.
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Played at Sydney Cricket Ground on this day. NZ won 22-3. They were not called the All Blacks then - that title never came till the 1905-06 tour to UK.
HAKA
A Maori challenge, or war dance, which is traditionally performed by New Zealand rugby teams before their test matches. Vigorous, aggressive and intimidating, the haka was a ritual dance performed as much to fire up its proponents as to strike terror into the hearts of the enemy. In the rugby context, the haka issues to the opposition the challenge to play hard and well.
The first New Zealand team to perform the haka was the 1905–06 team in Britain. The 1928 All Black team in South Africa did the haka and the South Africans replied with a war chant of their own, being made up on the morning of the game!
New Zealanders know that when All Black teams are made up only of Pakeha players (Europeans), the haka is never performed with the vigour and feeling exhibited by Maori players.
Originally the haka was only performed by New Zealand teams when they were playing away from home, but when Scotland toured New Zealand in 1975 and later during the World Cup games in 1987, the haka was from then on always seen within New Zealand too. It is enormously popular in all the countries visited by New Zealand teams.
Who were the players who first took successfully kicked test match penalties past the 6,7,8, and 9 World Record Marks?
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