Rugby Undead
No, rugby did not die due to the Covid pandemic and the complexity and stop-start outcomes of its rules.
At the weekend the AB-Ire, SA- Wales and Aust-Eng internationals attracted 150,000 spectators collectively and add in the other 5 international matches at the weekend just past, and the spectators added up to over a quarter of a million.
And those watching through tv etc were in their millions and millions.
The record for the most spectators at a rugby match is 120,000 and every continent other that Antarctica (where rugby of a sought has been played at Scott Base) an international match has seen at least 60,000 people present.
Of course I am still recovering from the euphoria of the ABs on Saturday evening at Eden Park swamping the Irish who may just have been favourite to win the contest. And we had Hurricanes-flavoured players Ardie Savea, Beauden Barrett and Jordie Barrett absolutely star for the triumphant men in black.
The question is: will Savea be given the title of the best rugby player on the planet for 2022?
I wouldn't be changing a single player from the ABs starting 15 for the second test against the Irish even though three Covid struck members of the playing squad may be available again and Dalton Papalii is back to full fitness.
And not to be sports bias, I watched the Warriors go from horribly terrible to heroes in front of 26,000 people in Auckland earlier today in winning their first match of the last eight in the Australian league competition, in a welcome home after nearly 3 years stuck across the Tasman.
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
-
63.3% Summer
-
35.4% Winter
-
1.3% Other - I'll share below
EMPIRE BUILDING TRUMP
So Donald Trump does not want to start any wars and is a peace maker.
And yet he is seriously seeking to annex the world's largest island, Greenland from Denmark, take over the Panama Canal from the sovereign country of Panama who have owned it since 1977 and even forthrightly suggesting that Canada ceases being a nation and become a state or series of states of the USA.
Greenland above everything else, harbours minerals vital for todays and tomorrows world and that is what probably attracts Trump most. His son is looking things over in Greenland as this thread is being produced. Climate change is also changing Greenland which despite its name is currently mainly covered in ice and snow all year round. Greenland has a population of 55,000.
Panama's major asset after tourism and services is the canal with a current revenue of $5 billion. It operates its shipping charges through an international organisation so that the USA gets an unbias deal for its ships etc that use the canal. Panama is a poor country on the improve and has a population of 4.5 million.
Denmark is a member of NATO. But Trump has threatened many times for the USA to pull out of this Europe-USA defence alliance and Greenland may be the straw that finally breaks the pact.
Canada is surrounded by the USA but it is so much unlike the USA and much more akin to Australia and NZ. In contrast to the USA, Canada is one of the happiest countries in the world and in total land area is the world's second largest.
NZ is going to come under the scrutiny of Trump and his henchmen/women. He will probably look to cut NZ away from its free trade arrangements with China with some kind of ultimatum.
New Year, New Questions You Won’t Solve!
I get smaller every time I take a bath.
What am I?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Loading…
