Rugger Bugger
Only because it’s the hugely fun Rugby Classic Week in Bermuda and we are overrun with visiting clients, so my attendance and interest won’t be what it should be. Although it’s not all bad in that I will be able to get to The National Sports Centre on Thursday for the semi-finals, which precludes a day off on Friday.
Friday is of course 11/11/11 and Remembrance Day which is uniquely honoured with a National Holiday in Bermuda and this week I will wear my poppy with pride.
Back to the rugby then and this is the 24th year of the Classic and the tournament has moved from an excuse for a early winter break piss up for old pros to a highly competitive tournament involving some of the world’s best players, some of whom have played professionally until very recently, such as Josh Lewsey, who was playing for the Wasps this season.
Recently New Zealand won the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 24-years, but they have been the most successful team in the Classic winning it nine times including the last two years when they have rolled over all the other nations quite comfortably.
By all accounts South Africa, last year’s beaten finalists, and the Classic Lions, who the All Blacks beat in a very one-sided final in 2009, seem likely to pose the biggest threat to the All Blacks this year.
The Lions’ squad includes Gregor Townsened, capped 82 times by Scotland as well as Gordon Bulloch (75 caps) and Jon Petrie (45 caps). Englishmen Andy Gomersall (35 caps) and Dan Luger (38 caps) will be there as well, plus familiar Classic favourites like Irishmen Malcolm O’Kelly (92 caps) and Shane Byrne (41 caps) and big haired Welshman Colin Charvis (75 caps).
The All Blacks, British Lions and South Africa are joined by Italy for the first time plus Argentina, Australia, the U.S.A and Canada, and invariably bars and pubs help ‘sponsor’ the teams so there is a lot of post match activity around the island this week.
The tournament kicks of this afternoon and ends next Saturday and it is the best fun week in Bermuda’s sporting calendar.
