Wales v. Canada, eh?

Oh, you betcha! So, last night's international game had a crowd of 74,022. Millennium Stadium capacity is 75,000. Two seats next to Ciara, Mark, E and me were empty for the first half, so we had Maurizio come down from 6 rows up to sit with us; and guess who decided to turn up? Idiots. Oh well. I think it might have been Mauri's first rugby game! We sent E down a row to another empty seat so he could have a chin wag with more people as his temper had been a little OTT during the first half due to Welsh team's slow start :) The second half was much more coherently played and since the end score was 61-26, everyone was much more pleasant to be around than they were when Canada was first on the board.

Even though the score had such a big spread, it was actually a really good game and I think part of my companions' disgruntlement was due to the Canadian team putting up a better fight than expected. The Canadians made a valiant effort, but the Welsh players just massively outclass them in size and so a common sight was one Welsh player with the ball continuing to run ten yards with three or four Canadian attempted tackles flailing behind like flags in the breeze. At least one of the Wales' tries was due to a scrum just being shoved over the line from about 5 yards out. The Welsh players pretty much bowled through the Canadian line like a platoon of tanks. There were two really close tries that required much monitor replay and thought -- it was a well-played game (says the girl who really hasn't a clue what she's talking about).

The flood of humanity in the closed off streets after a game is really cool. Maurizio thought it was impressive because there is such a family atmosphere and people can take kids to games. This is not possible in Italy at football matches because there is so much violence. He maintained this thought calmly until he ended up in the middle of a small pack of 8-year-old boys who were practicing their rugby tackles on each other as someone's mom tried to herd them down Castle Street :) No, but seriously, there is a strong family atmosphere in the stands at rugby matches, where people actually interact with their kids instead of just hauling them along like so much baggage.

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Dingy-boingy!

This is the word of the day (today, Saturday). If you substitute this for anything you want to say, whilst using normal inflections, it sounds like Caveman talk.

Today (Saturday), E is collecting myself, his mam, and possibly Katharine, and taking us to the Creative Stitches and Hobbycraft show! I have just one word: YARN! Well, there is this Knitted Garden exhibition, which I think will be a bit Over The Top, but whatever floats people's boats.