It was a long week following Australia’s shock defeat to Ireland. That’s why Friday couldn’t come soon enough as it was time for swift and decisive redemption.

I jumped on a plane just prior to 9am and was quickly winging my way south. The flight itself is barely 45 minutes. Once you’re up, you pretty much begin the descent. For my Australian friends, it’s probably the equivalent of the Melbourne to Canberra run. Amazingly, the plane was only a third full which was a rare luxury.

I’d heard of Air New Zealand’s unique safety video before, but I’d never remembered to check it out on YouTube, so the first time I saw it was during the pre-flight briefing. Thankfully there was nobody around to hear me chuckling like a fool, but this is how to turn something mundane and boring into something engaging and enjoyable. A huge tip of the cap to Air NZ and the All Blacks!

After a week of garbage weather in Auckland, I looked forlornly at the sunshine and blue sky as I departed. Thankfully Wellington turned on an equally immaculate day!

The last time I found myself in Wellington was 2000 at the tail-end of a school hockey tour. I was only in Year 9 and remember it fondly as I scored just my second goal for the Carey 1st XI (a sliding reverse-stick nudge under the approaching & sliding goalie’s pads from the top of the circle for those who care…)

Needless to say, the city has changed dramatically since then. Everyone I’ve spoken to says it reminds them a bit of Melbourne. While nowhere near the size, I can see where they’re coming from. Situated on the water, Wellington is full of trendy little bars, cafes and restaurants which I haven’t seen a great abundance of in Auckland. I love both cities, but I just found more ‘charm’ and life in the New Zealand capital.

The beautiful descent into Wellington

The ‘Beehive’ – New Zealand’s parliament

After checking in, I explored the city by foot for most of the afternoon.

There were plenty of Australian fans out and about; made painfully obvious by flag capes, southern cross tattoos, gold bucket hats, thongs, the use of garish face paint and other equally-bogan traits.

I love my country and will support the Wallabies as parochially as I can, but you need to draw a line somewhere and many of our travelling fans are an embarrassment. Believe it or not, it’s possible to support your country without being an obnoxious wanker, oi oi oi! Let’s leave it there…

My gold obsession begins and ceases with a jersey!

Funnily enough, I love the life, vivacity and colour of OTHER competing nations. I just get a little sick in the stomach when I see morons parading around with green and gold wigs. Double standards? Probably. But that’s just the way it is. I can’t explain it. Here are a few of the sprightly Americans I ran in to…

I really appreciated my first opportunity to visit Westpac Stadium (or Wellington Regional Stadium as it’s known for the duration of the World Cup – or the ‘Cake Tin’ as it’s affectionately dubbed by Kiwis!) It’s conveniently located on the waterfront a short walk from the centre of town, although being dockside, it has the same chaotic bottleneck problems that Etihad Stadium does upon exiting.

With a capacity of 36,000 if was to be the scene of Australia’s rebound match.

With all due respect to the United States, there was no way they were ever going to be competitive. While nobody of note would dare utter such sentiment on public record, it’s safe to say the game would be little more than an 80-minute training drill and hopefully an avenue by which to take out some of the frustration inflicted by Ireland the previous weekend.

No mucking around from skipper Rocky Elsom

Kurtley Beale thoroughly unimpressed with one of his team mates…

Michael Bolton, or American Captain Todd Clever?

Will Genia captained the Wallabies for the first time

Advance Australia Fair

Aside from a sluggish start, poor kicking and some unfortunate injuries in the dying minutes, the match went pretty much to script for the Wallabies.

Quick ball movement and superior conditioning proved too much for the Eagles who succumbed 67-5. Funnily enough, the Americans scored the first World Cup try that has been notched against Australia since the penultimate game of the group stage of the 2007 tournament (Australia since beat Canada and Italy and lost to England and Ireland without conceding a try).

One of my favourite action shots so far; Wallabies in motion

Adam Ashley-Cooper played a stormer of a game, bagging a hat-trick and continuing to find opportunities to put his team mates through. Will Genia was his usual rock-solid self at scrum-half in his debut as skipper and the pack won the battle of the forwards; unlike last weekend’s nightmare at Eden Park.

A HUGE concern for Australia however is goal kicking. Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper have been nothing short of abysmal off the tee throughout the tournament and with James O’Connor in and out of the team, the Wallabies have no dependable option. Well… that was until Berrick Barnes emerged early in the second half.

After missing the latter stages of the Super Rugby season with concussion, this was his first run at international level after working his way through local grades. Without over-analysing his performance, Barnes was brilliant and staked his claim to be installed in Australia’s starting fifteen.

Not only did he drill four of five conversions (none were ‘gimmes’ either as far as I recall), but he injected some life and spark into a Wallaby backline that has been crying out for a steady hand.

Hopefully he gets an opportunity to impress against Russia and force his way into the lineup – perhaps sadly at the expense of one of his injured team mates.

Not a bad seat in the house

I planned to head out after the game but a lingering virus had me feeling like absolute rubbish. Liz and I both picked up colds the week before and since we were on the road together, it made it near impossible to shake. I’d like to be noble and say I made the valiant decision for my health, but truth be told I could barely utter a sentence without coughing up a lung (which was not a good look after a teen had died of the meningococcal virus the day before and another case has since emerged tonight.)

I settled for a quick beer with @shane_harmon and hit the hay for an “early” one just after midnight.

On Saturday morning I decided that enough was enough. If you know me well, you will know that I need to be near death to break from my stubbornness and see a doctor. While not quite at that point, I just wanted to get healthy to continue enjoying this holiday. No matter where you go or what you do in the world, it’s compromised if you feel rubbish.

So after 90 minutes of waiting, a five minute consultation and a $100 bill (knew I bought travel insurance for a reason), I emerged with a chest/sinus infection diagnosis and a script to grab some antibiotics. Twenty-four hours later I’m feeling better, but still frustrated that I was struck down and feeling terrible for the last few days.

It turned out that the medical centre was just a couple of blocks from The Basin. Since I’d never seen it, I made sure to circumnavigate the ground on my walk back to town.

It’s a very picturesque little stadium and I can only imagine how nice it would be to lie on the grassy banks and watch cricket on a summer’s day. A lot can be said about ‘fan-friendly’ venues like these. While I make no secret of the fact I’ve rapidly fallen out of love with cricket, I might well attend matches where I can sprawl on the grass, bat a tennis ball around or enjoy a few drinks without being confined to a rock-hard plastic chair.

The original plan was to return to Auckland by 5pm on Saturday afternoon and go straight from the airport to Eden Park to see New Zealand take on France.

Still feeling rubbish, I donated my ticket to Liz’s cousin’s husband who has been so graciously putting us up while in Auckland. I probably could have gone, but 1) It was essentially a dead rubber and; 2) The guys were keen to head out after the game, which I was not.

So rather than go and see the All Blacks at Eden Park, I went home and was asleep on the couch before the Haka had even been performed.

Good decision!

Love Wellington.

Love the Wallabies on the rebound.

Love the fact that I am getting healthy.

Love the fact that I have four free days ahead.

Ciao for now.

Since I was a little tacker I’ve always had a fascination in aircraft. I don’t think you can ever be too old to appreciate the awesome power and grace of a plane as it lifts off or touches down.

One of my unusual hobbies is aviation photography. Since buying myself my first DLSR earlier this year (a Nikon D7000), I’ve enjoyed experimenting and seeing what kind of shots I can get.

Obviously Melbourne is my usual haunt, so I appreciated the opportunity to get out to Auckland Airport and explore a new location (although sadly the weather was rubbish for shooting).

Since it’s located on the water, there are few accessible vantage points. The main (and easiest) spot was a car park adjacent to the bridge leading into the airport grounds. I parked there on Thursday afternoon to watch and shoot the afternoon traffic. Here’s some of what I managed to get:

The suburb that I’m staying in is underneath the eastbound approach path and this Emirates A380 ex Dubai-Brisbane swings by every day at exactly the same time. I arrived at the airport prior to its arrival, only to see that air traffic control had changed configuration so all incoming aircraft landed from the west (which is on the water and inaccessible). Not happy! Nevertheless, I got a fantastic side-on view as it taxied to the terminal. ATC reverted back to the eastbound approach path later in the afternoon which was strange, because there was barely a breath of wind.

This is the exact same flight that I’ll be boarding next Sunday en route to Tahiti and eventually Los Angeles.

An airline that you won’t see in Melbourne which I find part of the charm of visiting foreign airports.

Another fresh sighting. Based in Chile, LAN mainly services the Americas but also swings through Auckland and Sydney.

A local bird takes flight.

One of Air New Zealand’s smaller ‘Link’ planes

Off to Singapore.

Jetstar. Probably three hours late and heading in the wrong direction.

Malaysian Air takes to the sky.

One of the Qantas planes with Wallabies livery descends.

If you drive across the bridge and into the grounds of Auckland Airport you can turn off the main road and into a car park adjacent to the DHL building. This is next to the maintenance yard where you can get up close and personal to beasts like this. I love the A380, but there’s something awesome about a 747.

Another one you’ll never see in Melbourne.

I’ve got a few days off this week, so I’ll try and get back on a better day for the A380 landing, but failing that I hope to check out LAX in the coming weeks.

There was barely enough time to digest Australia’s calamitous weekend result before we were on the road again. This time it was straight down the eastern coast to a region called Hawkes Bay.

These mountains were capped with snow on the return trip

Beautiful Hawkes Bay – despite the lack of sand

While predominantly making the trip to see France vs Canada in Napier, we also planned to hit up one of the area’s most renowned wineries; Craggy Range.

I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if the Fédération Française de Rugby had actually demanded a game in Napier so their traveling fans could indulge in wine, cheese and rugby. It was basically a home game for le French!

All we saw on the drive south were motor homes and hire cars with French flags draped across the back windows. It was a great atmosphere and only enhanced the sentiments that I expressed in week one; that the French brought most colour and life to this World Cup.

Sadly the weather didn’t come to the party as it rained persistently throughout the afternoon and well into the game. While pretty miserable to begin with, once you were wet there was not much that could be done but make the best of it!

Oooooohhhhh Canadaaaaaa!

Thankfully the game itself was enjoyable and far more high scoring than the weather otherwise suggested. Canada stuck with the French until the 60th minute when like they did against Japan, the Europeans put the game beyond doubt with a late scoring burst.

And again… as I said… the French are a LOT of fun…

A wet and wild Napier night

Making friends in the crowd

Rocking out with their cocks out

After the game we got warm, dry and decided to head downstairs to have ‘a couple of beers.’

As so often happens, a couple turned into a couple more and soon it became a big night on the town.

We hopped between a couple of bars before settling on an Irish joint that was absolutely jumping.

How common is a sign like this? We couldn’t believe that bars were allowed to set such a policy, but it was par for the course throughout Napier, so clearly they’re not too big on RSA down here!

Double trouble

As the clock neared 3am we heard some cheers from the front of the bar. Lo and behold, a scrum of French players appeared! I was gobsmacked. They were decked out in the full team tracksuit too – nobody was incognito here. They mingled with fans, enjoyed a drink and led chanting and a rousing rendition of La Marseillaise. It was so damn refreshing in the modern era of robot sportsmen. I understand why most clubs/teams set stringent policies, but there was something special about a group of world-class athletes heading out to see their fans after an important win.

Would they have done the same thing for a World Cup in France? Probably not. But I enjoyed it (along with hundreds of delirious French fans).

Pictured with French #2, William Servet

After a modest Monday sleep-in we headed for Craggy Range which is situated just half an hour south-east of Napier. The winery is tucked into a little valley in the giant shadow of the Range itself.

A setting almost as good as the food and wine

The beautiful Craggy Range

I posted a link to the menu in my previous post, but you really had to see it to believe it.

Allow me to walk you through culinary heaven…

Poached rose veal, tuna mayonnaise, micro salad & fried shallot.

Pepper crusted beef fillet, béarnaise, red wine jus & Terrôir fried
potatoes and on the other side it’s spiced ‘Firstlight’ venison shortloin,
‘Terrôir Garden’ Jerusalem artichokes, mushrooms & cassis prunes.

Crab apple tarte tatin with vanilla bean ice cream & cinnamon sugar.

Result? Nirvana. I was on driving duty so only had a couple of wines, but boy did I enjoy them!

We had a quick look at the cellar door and tasted a few more drops before hitting the road. It’s too expensive to ship cases back home, but they have an Australian distributor so I will look into it upon my return!

These come highly recommended

I absolutely hit the wall that night. Had a ‘nap’ at 7pm and woke at 2am before going back to sleep for a mammoth 12-hour session. I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve done that, but I needed to re-charge the batteries.

Most of Tuesday was spent on the road as we headed back to Auckland with a few brief stops on the way. I remember seeing towns such as Taupo, Hamilton and Rotorua as a youngster either travelling with my family or a school group, but it was nice to re-visit over a decade later.

We left Napier with three bars of fuel illuminated and the console started beeping just over 30k’s from Taupo and safety. I was confident the entire way and was even keen to see how far we could get……

There’s a Seinfeld scene for every occasion

Tomorrow morning we hit the road to Whangarei. This week has been nothing but travel, travel, travel.

I’m actually looking forward to heading up there as I’ve never been north of Auckland. While the Tonga vs Japan game itself it largely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, it’s all about the journey, right?

The travel doesn’t stop there however. Thankfully on Friday I’ll be airborne on the way to Wellington to see Australia take on the USA. If the Wallabies don’t pound them into oblivion then I might as well go home now. Not only will it be a good way to relieve some of the Irish frustration, but we still need to accumulate as many points as possible in case Italy can shock Ireland and place our qualification in jeopardy.

Sorry America. But you’re going to cop a pounding. And I’m going to enjoy it.

Where to begin? How can I possibly summarise the events (or non-events) of tonight?

I’ve sat here nursing a glass of vodka for half an hour trying to think of how to attack this piece. There’s only one way…

Australia was awful. That’s it. There are no two ways about it.

Just before things got ugly

Ireland is a strong rugby side but with all due respect, the current Australian unit should have them comfortably covered.

Tonight’s match was the showpiece of Pool C with the winner all but certain to top the group. It’s the game Australia could not afford to lose, and did.

The repercussions of Saturday night’s shock loss are damning. Rather than a potential QF and SF against Wales/Samoa and England, Australia must now conquer the might of the southern hemisphere. The South Africans will more than likely be waiting in the quarter finals with the tournament-favourite All Blacks on deck for whoever escapes from that dogged scrap.

Many philosophical fans have raised the “You have to beat everyone at some stage” argument, but I don’t buy it. Here’s why:

1) You DON’T have to face everyone. Beat Ireland and Australia avoids one of New Zealand or South Africa – the two biggest threats.
2) Even if the Wallabies must face these teams, successive matches will kill them.

Do you really think a team can emerge from a scrap with the Springboks and defeat the All Blacks on home turf in a World Cup semi the following week? Nothing is impossible in sport, but Australia’s path was made a whole lot harder tonight.

The Wallabies were $3 to win the World Cup prior to the game. Afterwards? $7. Boom. Game over man.

I’m still trying to put my finger on what the hell happened.

To be 100% clear and up-front, Ireland absolutely deserved their win. They were more tenacious, skilled, tactical and willing in tonight’s battle. Australia lacked desire and polish. It was embarrassing at times. The Wallabies are a much better side than they showed, but the World Cup is not the time to have an off night. You just can’t afford that at this level.

Robbie Deans will rightly have questions asked in regard to his unwillingness to pick a backup #7 to replace the injured David Pocock. The Wallabies were exposed brutally at the breakdown. Ireland to their credit seized upon this and used Australia’s weakness as a foundation upon which to construct a historic win. Deans will also be grilled over his lack of a ‘Plan B.’ We saw it against Samoa and we saw it again tonight. Australia is a brilliant side when firing on all cylinders, but what happens when the chips are down? A nation asks you Robbie…

Where to from here?

A week of soul searching and then off to Wellington and Nelson for ‘tune-up matches’ against the USA and Russia. I’m not intending to be disrespectful, but if Australia doesn’t post cricket scores against these nations then I’ll pay for their return plane tickets myself.

The World Cup is not over (statistically speaking), but the road has gone from ‘managable’ to ‘pushing shit uphill” (technically speaking). I’ve been following sport long enough to know that anything can happen, but we blew a golden opportunity tonight. Win – top the group – avoid the big guns. Now we’ve got rejuvenated South African and New Zealand teams on deck. Shit just got real.

A huge turnout of 50 Irish fans and 55,000 Irish-supporting Kiwis

Result aside, tonight’s ‘experience’ was a lot of fun (but admittedly it’s near impossible for me to look beyond the result at the moment).

After a big day on the road yesterday we took it easy and only made our way towards the city around 5pm. The hire car in our possession this week makes matters a whole lot easier.

We parked a few blocks away from the stadium and set off on foot (think East Melbourne or Richmond for my fellow Melburnians).

The biggest difference between Auckland and Melbourne is that the former is not as adept as staging events. We hit the main street adjacent to Eden Park and you couldn’t get a drink ANYWHERE, but it wasn’t through a lack of bars! The handful of drinking establishments were brimming to capacity with queues of 30 snaking along the street in the driving rain.

Of course I don’t expect capacities to magically expand, but I don’t believe these venues were anywhere near ready for the onslaught of foot traffic and thirsty mouths moving through the area.

After a 20 minute wait we had to settle for a small tapas place (which was nice), but the original plan was to meet some friends in a bar and head to the game. Nevertheless – a bottle of wine, three Stellas and a new friendship with the elderly Auckland couple that we table-shared with later, and we were on our way.

The Wallabies weren’t even straight from the very beginning

Unlike our fortunate position on opening night, our seats were in the nosebleeds at the top of Eden Park’s scaffolding seating! Each end of the stadium has a significant area of temporary seating erected for the World Cup and requires quite a climb…

Resisted the urge to throw myself off at full time

Despite being a mile away from the action, the endzone view is actually quite good. It allows you to see the lines the players run and catch a glimpse of any holes that open up in the line (which were few and far between tonight).

The thing that struck me most was the sheer amount of support for Ireland. I’m not exaggerating in saying that 75-80% of Eden Park was green. Of that number, I estimate that just 10% would have been traveling Irish supporters. The other 90% comprised of devout New Zealanders supporting anyone who squared off against Australia.

I understand the logic on face value and admit to doing the same from time to time, but I don’t think most of them fully grasped the situation. An Irish win would place Australia on the same side of the draw as the All Blacks and while the Wallabies looked anything but formidable tonight, no Kiwi would want to face the Wallabies prior to the Final. Nevertheless, they were happy to scream for the Irish and celebrated long into the night with the win. Good on them, but I don’t think they could see past their rivalry for the greater good.

I got talking to a friendly group of locals who sat adjacent to me. While the Aussie/Kiwi banter inevitably arose, they were a load of fun and made an otherwise depressing night bearable.

As the full time whistle sounded around Eden Park, they looked at me sitting forlornly in my seat and said “Hey Aussie, I think you need a beer” and offered me their last can of Heineken. Don’t listen to anyone who says that all New Zealanders are bad!

Lambs to the slaughter

Some four hours after the game I’m still sitting here wondering what the hell happened. Did we take Ireland too lightly? Surely not. I simply think it was a matter of not being able to match the desire of our opponents on the night. That’s sport. That’s why we follow this magnificent caper. But from an Australian perspective, it’s simply not good enough.

I’ve been here since September 8 and will be here until October 24. I can accept the peaks and troughs, but what of the army of Australians who flew over for the weekend? This game was scheduled over a year ago, was clearly the pick of the group and from what I’ve heard, inbound planes throughout Saturday were full of green and gold. I’d be mightily pissed if I’d dropped well over a grand on a big weekend in Auckland to see my national team lay an egg on the world stage. Again, that’s the risk you take, but that’s not even close to what the traveling fans deserved.

Anyway.

Tomorrow we’re on the road again – this time to Napier. It’s pretty much situated at the same latitude as New Plymouth, but down along the south-eastern coast. I’ve done the drive on numerous occasions and will never tire of the scenery. Taupo is magical and I look forward to re-visiting an area I haven’t seen for close to a decade.

France vs Canada kicks off on Sunday night and while it’s likely to be a one-sided game, the Canucks showed enough against Tonga to give me confidence that they can stick around for a while. At the very least, hopefully the town is going off like New Plymouth was!

Regardless, Monday’s lunch is something we’ve been looking forward to for a while. If you’ve ever enjoyed wine from the Hawkes Bay region, chances are you’ve wrapped your lips around a drop of Craggy Range. Check out the lunch menu, get jealous and remember it when you’re starting to get hungry on Monday morning. We’ll be there.

I’ll report back on my return. Until then, stay gold, move forward with blind faith and drink up.

The sun hadn’t even peeked out from beyond the eastern horizon on Wednesday morning and we were already up and on our way. Destination? The fine region of Taranaki.

Situated in the south-eastern corner of the North Island, Taranaki is home to New Plymouth which was slated to host three Rugby World Cup games.

When first reviewing the RWC schedule in mid 2010, Russia vs USA actually leapt off the page. Aside from the obvious ‘big ticket’ games such as Australia vs Ireland and New Zealand vs France, the ‘Cold War Clash’ was exciting for so many reasons. It was Russia’s debut on the biggest stage, Melbourne Rebels player Adam Byrnes had been selected by the Bears, it allowed us to explore a new region of NZ and it actually loomed to be a closely fought contest!

The drive south took us through Hamilton which was gearing up to host a big World Cup game of its own. The town was hosting the All Blacks on Friday night and there was a heightened sense of excitement as we stopped for breakfast.

The road out of Hamilton took us past Waikato Stadium where a large bus was stopped in a car park. Recognising this as an official team bus we pulled over for a look and lo and behold, the All Blacks were completing a training session! Conditions were nasty again, so they were doing running and passing drills behind closed doors in a sports arena adjacent to the stadium. We hung around for a peek before security spied us and asked us to move on.

Some three hours later (after driving through some very picturesque scenery) we pulled into New Plymouth.

I saw this sign on the side of a barn and had to stop. We trespassed through a paddock and evaded sheep to get the shot. Totally worth it!

Sadly the Taranaki weather was miserable for most of our stay. There’s a mountain just out of town with spectacular snow-capped peaks, but it was shrouded in cloud for the duration! Unfortunate, but it couldn’t be helped and the locals did what they could to make the weather a moot point.

While not large by any means, the main street of New Plymouth was bustling with activity. Local businesses had also come to the party, decorating their storefronts in the colours of Russia, USA, Wales and Namibia; the five nations that were playing World Cup games in Taranaki. Take a bow New Plymouth. We couldn’t have been made to feel any more welcome and ‘in the mood’ for rugby!

Prior to Thursday’s game we were fortunate enough to catch up with Melbourne’s own Adam Byrnes.

The only ‘non-Russian’ selected in the team, Adam is eligible by way of the fact that he has Russian grandparents. We met for a coffee at the Russian team hotel and had a chat about his experience. He’s also the only player on the team who doesn’t speak Russian but has picked up key phrases and signals for communicating on the field. This is Russia’s first ever World Cup appearance so it was pretty special for him to be in the inaugural team and we were delighted to be able to share the experience. Because he’s such a great bloke, he even kitted us out in Russian team gear. Champion!

After a drive down the coast and some more exploration, we returned to town and prepared for the game.

The life, colour and vibrancy throughout New Plymouth blew us away. It was a giant party and everyone was invited! There were Russians, Americans, New Zealanders and everyone else in between masquerading as Russians or Americans.

Although scrappy at times, the game itself was closely fought and great fun to watch. A lot can be said about watching matches between ‘second tier’ teams. While we all love seeing the world-class players of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa etc. do their thing, it’s so refreshing and uplifting to see these smaller (and equally as hungry) teams battle it out to make their presence felt on the world stage.

Sadly for Russia they weren’t able to match the United States on the night. It was a valiant debut and I look forward to seeing what they can muster against Italy, Ireland and Australia – although this was probably their only winnable game.

Fellow Melbourne Rebels fans Gav and Stu were coming to New Zealand for Australia’s clash with Ireland on Saturday night but it didn’t take much arm-twisting to alter their itinerary to include this game upon hearing Adam had been selected. After a brief transit delay, the lads arrived with bells on.

Adam started the game on the bench but was brought on early in the second half.

It was actually quite amusing to hear the pre-game team introductions;

Names like… Sergey, Vadislav, Ivan, Vyacheslav, Yury, and then…. Adam Byrnes. Ha!

Despite being DRENCHED by torrential rain at half time, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

We walked back into town, cleaned ourselves up and put our party shoes on. Although there were only three or four main pubs/bars, all of them were heaving. A minor hiccup was averted by managing to talk my way inside with an Australian license (meant to have passport ID) but then it was on like Donkey Kong.

After arriving, someone walked up to me and said, “Excuse me… but I think I follow you on Twitter!” A couple of questions later and it was verified. What a small, small, small world! It totally blew my mind. I also caught up with Taranaki Rugby’s Commercial Manager, Geoff Hitchcock, who I also know through Twitter. It truly is a magnificent medium for reaching out and making new connections.

Our night ended at Subway for a cheeky chicken fillet around 4am where we crossed paths with big Wellington Hurricanes lock Jason Eaton. A good way to end the night!

Goodness knows how we managed to get up and about on Friday morning, but we did – even if the drive back north was full of peaks, troughs, twists and turns! Extremely beautiful countryside but not all that fun after only a couple of hours in bed.

Not long into the trip we passed a local rugby club. While not appearing much on the surface, I absolutely loved the country charm of the quaint little field nestled into a valley near the sea. It’s stopping to appreciate small things like this which make travel so worthwhile.

It also wouldn’t be a trip to New Zealand without sheep, ‘fush and chups’ and a stop at the small a small town famous for a Kiwi soft drink, right?

So now we’re back in Auckland and preparing for Saturday night’s monster clash between Australia and Ireland. The winner of this match should top the pool, so there’s all to play for. I fancy the Wallabies to get it done, but it might be a little closer than most expect when taking injuries and some potential weather into consideration. I just know that whatever the outcome, Auckland will be gold tonight.

With a weekend of travel and frenetic rugby action behind me, it was nice to have 48 hours of rest and relaxation.

As I’ll be on the road for six weeks, it’s important to take these opportunities to recharge the batteries (especially as I’m starting to feel a little under the weather again). Nothing serious… just a mild onset of some cold/flu symptoms which I’ve tried to knock on the head early with a pre-emptive strike of drugs.

Monday was spent roaming around Auckland, running a few errands and most importantly – finding a sports bar to watch the New York Jets open their season against the Dallas Cowboys.

I discovered an Irish pub down near the waterfront and perched myself at the bar in front of the game. In fact, the Muddy Farmer deserves a bit of a plug for being so accommodating. Go and check them out if you’re ever in Auckland!

After a roller coaster of joy, frustration, agony and nerves – the Jets prevailed in a wild Monday night finish. I don’t know how we pulled it out, but I left a very happy customer.

Waiting for my ferry at the waterfront

A wild and woolly ride back across the harbour in 50-knot winds

I don’t remember the last time I was able to sleep for 12 hours, but I was thrilled to take advantage of the opportunity on Tuesday morning.

After awaking from slumber, I turned my attention to pressing matters – notably my fantasy MLB final and NFL opening week; both of which are progressing well.

Liz and I headed into Botany shortly thereafter to pick up some groceries and do some shopping. The icy winds that have been tearing through New Zealand the last few days helped me make an impulse decision to invest in a proper jacket. Macpac was having a huge sale which allowed me to pick up this duck down beauty for just $160 (was $380). It’s toasty as hell and will be bliss to wear in the cold.

So so warm

Keeping warm at home isn’t much of a problem however when there are little ones running around.

What I’d give to have just half the energy of kids…

This is where the term ‘handbags’ originated

Eat your heart out Nero

Tomorrow we hit the road for New Plymouth. This is a six-hour drive to the south-east and we’re starting early. Although the next match (USA vs Russia) is not until Thursday night, we look forward to getting in early and enjoying the experiences that a new town brings. It will also be nice to be within walking distance of the stadium and city centre!

We also look forward to greeting a number of compatriots and Rebels fans who are flying over this week. Melbourne’s own Adam Byrnes is starting on the bench for Russia and it will be fantastic to have a strong contingent there to cheer him on.

I will take the laptop, although I’m not holding my breath when it comes to finding wi-fi access. I’ll report in if I can, but otherwise you’ll hear all about our adventures closer to the weekend.

Do svidaniya!

While the World Cup has been enthralling enough as it is, Sunday held special significance and excitement as it’s when Australia took to the field to open their campaign.

Unlike the first three days of pristine beauty, Sunday was putrid (much like I imagine Melbourne would have been all weekend from the reports I’ve heard). I woke around 11am to driving  rain and what seemed like a gale blowing outside. My first reaction was how it would impact the game. Australia likes to play an aggressive running style while Italy is more a ‘grind it out’ kind of side, so the conditions would play into the hands of the Azzurri. Enough for them to cause an upset? Doubtful (but cautious all the same).

View from the balcony on Friday (left) and Sunday (right)

After yesterday’s trip to North Harbour for Japan vs France, I suddenly became an overnight expert on local traffic.

Rather than park at Massey University (and subject ourselves to a logjam when exiting), I headed to the eastern side of the stadium which meant 10 minutes extra on foot, but almost an hour saved leaving the venue post-game. Footy smarts. You can’t teach that.

The rain BUCKETED down while we were on the motorway but it cleared up soon enough. The indecision of the weather gods was remarkable and was actually like being in Melbourne. Fortunately the rain held off while we wandered across to the stadium for a pre-game beer.

Making some friends heading into the stadium

New job title? (although just quietly, Dingo is doing a bang up job)

Our seats on this occasion were situated at the back of the main grandstand which was phenomenal luck given the conditions. Not only did we have a side-on view to the action, but we managed to stay out of the elements. I felt for the poor buggers in the outer who were periodically clambering for ponchos (even though I’d come prepared with one of my own).

The heavens opened just prior to kick-off

Wet-weather rugby suited the Italians down to the ground

Advance Australia Fair

The first half was scrappy. Australia huffed and puffed, but couldn’t make a significant dent on the scoreboard. While Italy had similar problems scoring, they were more than holding their own upfront, placing immense pressure on the Wallabies’ pack. The teams went to the break deadlocked at 6-6 following two late penalty goals to the Azzurri.

Anyone at the stadium who wasn’t Australian was most definitely an Italian. There was plenty of red, white and green fluttering in the breeze – many of them raised by cheeky Kiwis who support the All Blacks and anyone playing Australia.

The Kiwi larrikins were out in force

Sadly for these New Zealanders, James O’Connor WAS there and made amends for his recent indiscretions.

Brought on early in the second half when the Wallabies were struggling to get out of first gear, ‘Bieber’ made an immediate impact, getting several key touches, scoring a try, throwing himself at every tackle with vigor and most interestingly, relieving Quade Cooper of his kicking duties. JOC is undoubtedly one of the keys to Australia’s fortunes and it was fantastic to see him back and firing. Baby, baby, baby!

Australia’s second half was a sight to behold.

We created holes in the Italian line, we played some gorgeous inside balls and put the game beyond doubt with a 20 minute burst of inspiration.

The Australian line-out was (mostly) sound

Fainga’a and Ma’afu liked what they saw from the lads

It was a strong win, but the way we played in that second half burst was most pleasing.

James Horwill, Digby Ioane and Adam Ashley-Cooper were the standouts for mine while O’Connor provided the spark off the bench.

Next up is Ireland at Eden Park on Saturday night. Although nothing is ever certain in the magnificent world of sport, the winner of that game ‘should’ top the pool.

Sunday’s late game pitted Wales against defending champions South Africa in a contest that will impact Australia’s fortunes. Should the Wallabies top the pool, they would play second place in that group, so a Springbok win was good as it is likely to place them on the other side of the draw once we reach the business end (although judging by their effort, it might be an advantage to play the Boks over Wales or Samoa!)

Several hours later I am still trying to work out how the error-prone South Africans won that game. Talk about getting out of jail…

It was also nice to sit down at home and quietly watch a game without being out in the hustle and bustle. I also used it as an opportunity to make a dent in my duty free purchases and can highly recommend mango-infused Absolut – even if it does sound a little gay… (Shut up. It’s awesome.)

So after three days of frenetic, thrilling rugby to get World Cup 2011 underway, we’re suddenly faced with two ‘off’ days. No rugby on Monday or Tuesday before the action kicks off again with a trio of clashes on Wednesday.

My next match is USA vs Russia on Thursday down in New Plymouth and I have been looking forward to this ‘Cold War contest’ for a long time. Should be a cracker -especially with a couple of Melbourne Rebels mates making the trip at the last minute.

For now though it’s a bit of personal downtime to catch up on a few things, put my feet up, relax and prepare for the road trips to New Plymouth, Napier and Whangarei  that lie ahead.

Finally, I should note that I have finally shaved that unruly stubble.

It was keeping me warm for so long, but the longer it draws on, the more unkempt and homeless I begin to look. So from this week onward, I shall be clean-shaven and keeping it classy!

Saturday morning started with another relaxing lie-in and digestion of the morning news. What headlines would you expect to see?

All Blacks off to a flyer – ?
Glittering start to world rugby showpiece – ?
A city celebrates – ?

No.

There was a slew of stories about Auckland’s transport woes.

Ha. Good to see that media is the same wherever you go.

That being said however, Saturday’s ferry timetable was woeful (only two services between 12-3pm) that would allow us to arrive at North Harbour in time for Japan v France, so we decided to drive.

Liz grew up in this part of Auckland so we took a detour around her old childhood haunts. It’s a nice part of the world and who could complain with views like this?

We continued making our way towards the city, across the harbour bridge and on to the north shore where the stadium was situated approximately 20 minutes from Auckland. A little further than I probably expected, but not too bad.

When driving to a major event in Melbourne you need to a) take public transport or b) be prepared to cough up a mint for parking.

Imagine our surprise when cars were directed into Massey University and the Westfield directly adjacent to North Harbour Stadium – free of charge. I don’t know whether this is a refreshing change from what we’re used to, or whether Auckland is missing a significant opportunity to gouge fans for the parking dollar!

The stadium (left), Massey University (bottom left) and Westfield

North Harbour Stadium has a new capacity of almost 30,000

The first thing we noticed was the complete contrast in the overall vibe from Friday. Prior to the tournament’s opening game, there was a sense of nervous anticipation and excitement with a nation of Kiwis hoping for the All Blacks to get started on the right foot. Once that was taken care of, I think the pressure valve was released and it became more about partying and having fun – and I’m yet to see anyone do it better than the French. The tri-color was out in force and it was a joy to see.

Like Friday night, I expected the game itself to be an absolute thrashing and it started in that vein with an early French try but I did not count on the plucky Japanese team fighting back in the way they did. With fly-half James Arlidge directing traffic, scoring tries and kicking points, they amazingly cut the margin to just four with 10 minutes to play before France flicked the switch and piled on a slew of late points to flatter the scoreline.

The crowd was probably a 50/50 split prior to kick-off, but once Japan started to throw caution to the wind it swung dramatically in their favour. It was a thoroughly enjoyable game of rugby and hopefully a sign of things to come for the sport. With Romania pushing Scotland to the death earlier in the day, we can hope that a degree of parity is starting to take over, bridging the gap between traditional powers and the minnows.

When you combine a fantastic game with a passionate and fun-loving crowd, you have a recipe for a fantastic game of rugby.

Next on the agenda is the Wallabies’ opening clash against Italy on Sunday afternoon, also at North Harbour.

Unfortunately the perfect weather hasn’t stuck around and the game is likely to be played in driving rain and an icy wind. While Australia should still have the necessary weapons to prevail, it will be a stern test against a stubborn Azzurri side.

If anything can be taken from Saturday it’s that NO team can be underestimated. Something Australia should have recently learnt against Samoa.

Manic would be the only way to describe Auckland today. After years of build-up, the biggest event in the nation’s history was at the doorstep.

I’ve been to New Zealand and its biggest city on numerous occasions throughout the years, but I have NEVER seen it in this state of excitement. The streets were awash with colour and vivacity and there was a palpable sense of anticipation in the air as kick-off to a six-week festival of frivolity lay just hours away.

Streets were blocked off, workers had knocked off and fans had started to drink their heads off.

A special World Cup ‘live site’ had been established in the wharf precinct to hold tens of thousands of people, showcasing the games on big screens and providing food, drink and entertainment. This area was FULL by 3pm (some five hours before kick-off). It helped that it was an absolute belter of a day, but you get the sense it would have been almost as popular had the weather closed in.

The ‘fan zone’ as seen from the ferry

Fans of all nationalities walked the streets but the biggest presence (aside from the obvious) was made by the Tongans. This perhaps came as no surprise given that a) They were providing the bodies for the opening night encounter and b) Over 7000 of them had swamped the airport to welcome the team last week. Insanity! There was also a significant number of South Africans – most of which who would have been saving since 2007 in hope of defending!

It’s called break dancing Miss. Puck you. With a P.

Not many Australians seen thus far, but since the Wallabies don’t play until Sunday afternoon, you can assume that many will make the trip over the weekend.

The day started with a leisurely sleep-in and a brief ferry trip from Bucklands Beach to the Auckland CBD.

Ahoy matey!

We spent several hours exploring the city in all of its World Cup splendor before retiring to a bar for lunch.

You think I’d do the smart thing and play it safe just 24 hours after succumbing to crippling food poisoning, right?

Wrong.

A mussel pot with lobster bisque, salt & pepper calamari and Hoegaarden pâté platter washed down with a brew of the same name. Twelve hours later… so far, so good!

A feast fit for kings – I like to live dangerously

After a few more quiet beers in an adjacent establishment, we decided to get an early start on the trip to Eden Park. Organisers had advised patrons to be at the venue between 6-7pm, but one look at the foot traffic was enough for us to set sail well in advance.

Growing up in Melbourne has provided me with the luxury of being conditioned to large-scale events. There’s an art to moving quickly and effectively through hoards of people and it’s easy to see who is not accustomed to it! I will refrain from judging the city’s public transport system on arguably their biggest demand day of all-time, but it wasn’t the most seamless process. Nevertheless, we arrived at Eden Park in plenty of time.

Last time I visited was the 2006 Bledisloe Cup and the stadium has changed a hell of a lot since then. Of course I’ve seen it grow and develop in my rugby-watching on TV, but it’s not until you arrive in person that you can appreciate a stadium in all its glory. While not the prettiest from the outside (with towering temporary scaffolding erected at either end), it’s a fantastic place to watch sport and a ‘must’ for any rugby fans passing through New Zealand.

Endzone seating: not for those with vertigo

The thing that grabs you most is how the stadium is plonked right in the middle of a residential area. Sure – the MCG is as well to an extent – but Eden Park is SURROUNDED by small terrace houses, most of which were raging with private parties. Must be great to pop out your front door and arrive at a Test or Super Rugby match!

With plenty of time until the pre-game festivities, we circumnavigated the stadium to check everything out. It was during this process that I bumped into Australian rugby royalty.

John Eales was filming an introductory segment for the TV broadcast and I quickly grabbed him after he was done with some spectacular ad-libbing. His camera crew weren’t keen on pesky fans slowing him down, but the great man was more than obliging to pose for a quick photo (and honestly, I didn’t expect anything less of the legend himself).

My World Cup experience was off to a flying start

Now I have NEVER been a fan of yawn-inducing opening ceremonies. I can’t understand why people pay so much money to see the Olympics open when they don’t even see any sport! You couldn’t pay me to sit through them (even watching on TV) – but this production blew me away. It obviously makes a significance difference being there in person, but I think it was also being perched on the precipice of an event I’ve been planning and looking forward to for over a year. I look forward to watching this one again sometime, because it looked magical from inside the stadium.

Oh… by the way New Zealand… now you have your own Nikki Webster. Good luck with that.

Baby you’re a fiiiiiiirework

Our seats were smack bang in the middle of the Tongan section. They are a lovely nation of people. Proud, happy and cheering throughout the entire match (even when the All Blacks scored). They love their rugby with a passion and it was fantastic to see.

One chap near us enjoyed his night a little too much though. Blind drunk and screaming incessantly, he was asked politely by several patrons to sit down before security and police intervened (when you ask a 120kg intoxicated Tongan to rein himself in, you do so politely!) Look. You expect rowdiness at a football game, but this was at a point where it was compromising the experience of those around him. The saddest part? His son, who looked no older than four, and wife sat there in cautious silence watching him act like a lout. Makes you appreciate a good childhood.

Anyway…

The match itself went pretty much as expected. While not the 50-point shellacking I predicted, it was a solid first-up win for the All Blacks with their key weapons looking sharp. The Tongans provided good value however and even crashed over for a late try, sending the crowd into raptures.

The combatants enter the arena

Rugby World Cup 2011 gets underway!

Dan Carter knocks over the opening points of the tournament

Union fans: a rare breed who can be entrusted with beer in cans

As the final whistle sounded, we made a dash for the exit to try and beat the other 60,000 people back to the city. As we’re staying so far away from the CBD, the ferry was our only (cost effective) way of getting home. Some shrewd crowd management and fleet-footed maneuvering from these seasoned Melbourne travelers meant we made it with plenty of time to spare. And what a stunning vista the cityscape was as we pulled away from the dock.

The international spotlight is on Auckland (see what I did there?)

As for now (and as you can tell from the previous caption), it’s time to sleep and get ready for another big day. Saturday’s contest is at North Harbour and marks my first visit to the stadium.

I’m not expecting a great deal of competition between France and Japan, nor the curtain-raisers in other cities (Scotland vs Romania and Fiji vs Namibia). The first ‘true’ test comes in Sunday’s matinee between Argentina and England – a match I was attending in pre-earthquake Christchurch. It should be a belter and I’ll find somewhere to take it in prior to enjoying Australia’s first hit-out against Italy – also at North Harbour.

As for now… zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz