Kicking – but not the bucket

Saturday March 16^th

This day was destined for only one principal activity – watch the final 3 matches of the 2013 Six-Nations Rugby Tournament. A minor activity was a trip to Tesco’s to pick up some food-stuff not readily available in the US, but which I could savor as snacks and breakfasts in the coming 2 weeks – sausage rolls, a Cornish Pasty or three, ‘real’ bacon, British ‘bangers’, Wensleydale-with-cranberries cheese, chocolate Digestives (a delightful chocolate and oatmeal cookie) and a few russet apples.

My brother and I settled in about 2 pm to watch the first of the day’s 3 rugby matches – Italy v Ireland – on BBC 1 TV. By 3:30 pm, glasses of Guinness were being diluted by tears whilst vino and ice-cream was being tossed down throats in Rome. Forget those folks, time for a Cornish Pasty and a can of Foster’s Beer for me before the ‘main event – Wales v England, from Cardiff.

That Millenium Stadium crowd should be as good as having a 16^th team-member on the pitch. Wales needed to beat England by 8 points to ensure that our cocky neighbors to the east would NOT deny Wales in its bid to remain ‘Champions’.  The final whistle echoed through the valleys to a creaking, moaning sound - it was the sound of the English chariot crashing after the Welsh team had taken out its cotter pins and its wheels fell off! The score was 30 points to 3 in the final tally; Wales still Champions; ‘da iawn’ (well done), boys!

An hour or so later, as Englishmen still looked back in awe, France took on their visitors, Scotland, in an effort to avoid receiving the ‘wooden spoon’ – an imaginary trophy awarded to the 6^th place finisher in the tournament. ‘Les Bleu’ won the match but lost the day; they beat Scotland, but by fewer points than were needed to hand ‘the spoon’ to Ireland.

Nothing else of excitement happened today. How could anything top that? My Welsh team kicking the pants of the English!

What will happen to ‘the bucket’ tomorrow? Stay tuned . . . to be continued