Rugby

So the pool stages are finished and the the two stand out quarter finals are England v Australia and New Zealand v France. Fiji have done well but the loss of their fly half will hamper there ability to beat South Africa and Italy v Argentina will be a big forward battle but may lack the subtley of the other games. I would like to play tribute to the minnows of the tournament who have played their part in making this a great tournament (USA, Samoa, Tonga, Romania, Italy, Portugal, Japan, Canada, Georgia, Namibia and of course Wales and Ireland). There is talk of reducing the number of teams to 16 but I think this is a mistake as the only way to improve the level of play is to play against the best teams and to spark interest in the home country (Georgia has gone rugby crazy apparently). Some of the larger beatings occurred when asking the smaller teams to play two matches in four or five days and they don't have the squad depth. It would be fairer to ask the bigger teams to have more games more often but then they would not be playing on the weekends when the larger crowds and tele audiences can watch and satisfy the audience. An example of this is Japan who had to play the 8th, 16th, 20th and 25th (4 games in 17 days) whereas France played on the 7th, 16th, 21st and 30th (4 games in 23 days).

The Result

Well we lost but it was a tight affair and the result of the game will hang on the eligibility of one of the opposition players who is registered with Highbury in London and may be ineligible thus giving us a 5-0 win. Not sure of the score about 8-5. I scored a penalty and was good defensively but the timing and understanding in attack is yet to gel.

The new Korfball Season

Well later today the korfball season starts and I think that it will be a tough season. Firstly a lot of players have gone to university and that has weakened the club. Secondly getting promoted and a change in the structure of the divisions means the quality of the opposition will be a lot greater. Thirdly there have been a lot of new people have started this term meaning during training I have been helping others. Fourthly I am not certain who all of my team mates are. I have a feeling that they are young players moved up from the under 15 league which means that they will have to learn that they are no longer the biggest/ fastest/ strongest player, showing off to their mates with stupid long range shots or behind the back passes is not going to help us win any matches and to play as a team incorporating all the players in the team. Fifthly Ireland and Argentina will be playing rugby at the same time and I must not be distracted.

Anyway there is a touch of excitement and apprehension. After all we might be brilliant. Check out our progress at http://www.norfolkkorfball.co.uk/. I am in Norwich City 3.

Phewww

Well the term is well and truly in full swing and the work is piling up like the Himalayas around me. There is a small relief in the fact that work experience for Yr11 is in two weeks and that will free up a bit of time and the school has finally appointed a member of staff to cover for a colleague who has had to go part time and that has taken a few lessons from me as well. This year has presented a few new opportunities for me as I am mentoring the new teacher in the department as well as the student teachers when they come into school and leading a group of teachers in continued professional development! This means I have to show new teaching techniques but sadly they are not new and everyone already knows them so you come across as patronising. However, taking on the extra work all counts towards whether I cross from normal to upper pay scale at the end of the year so all is worth it. Generally classes seem harmless with the odd strange character here or there but the timetable is arranged so that I get the worst class on a Friday Period 5 and no non contact (free) periods between Monday Period 5 and Friday Period 3 so I have to be super organised which I am not. My main gripe is that support staff and management seem to pursuing their own objectives and making decisions which don't help the kids.

Robert Jordan

Robert Jordan has for a long time been a favourite author of mine. James Pratt with whom I shared a house in Sheffield introduced me to his writing and the first six books of his Wheel of Time series. Since 1996 he has written 5 more in the series creating a complex world of alliances and betrayal, of battles and war, of good versus evil and of human relationships and sacrifice. I have been eagerly awaiting the final installment when the hero takes on evil and wins (I guess). The date of publishing has kept on being put back and when I looked into the reason I found that the author had cancer although reading his blog it appeared that he was writing as much as he could manage. Unfortunately he died at the weekend leaving his last work unfinished like all the great artists and it will be interesting who if any attempts to write the final book and end the (what ever the word for 12 is) ology.

Rallying

Around the year 2000 Rallying was on the tele all the time and it was a huge sport mainly because two of the main contenders were British. Colin McRae and Richard Burns routinely fought out tight finishes on ice, gravel, mud and concrete with drivers such as Carlos Sainz, Didier Auriol, Tommi Makinen and Marcus Gronholm. The speed at whiich they drove on narrow, tree or cliff lined roads with their co driver shouting instructions was really good fun. Wrapping your car around a tree was common and crashing on to the roof of your car and having the crowd turn you back on to your wheels so you could carry on was routine. The hard charging McRae who would prefer to crash in the hope of winning as opposed to the cool, icy perfectionist that was Burns was a real contrast and it was real entertainment. So I was saddened to hear of Colin McRae's death only a couple of years after Burns passed away. A video tribute to McRae and Burns can be found on these links. And here are some accidents for a bit of fun.

Favourite Players

I have two favourite players Joao Uva of Portugal who is a big bearded flanker who seems to play the game with a huge smile on his face and Marius Tincu who was bald and managed to cut his head and there was blood everywhere and he had to keep going off to have a dollop of Vaseline on his head to stop it. Later in the game he had a knock to the head and was woozy but still wanted to play despite the fact the doctor had told him there was no way he could carry on.

Also the whole of the Georgian team Paliko Jimsheladze, Otar Barkalaia, Meko Kvirikashvili, Bessik Khamashuridze, Irakli Machkhaneli, George Shkinini, George Elizbarashvili, Otar Eloshvili, Makho Urjukashvili, Irakli Guiorgadze, David Katcharava, Rezo Guigauri, Irakli Abusseridze, Bidzina Samkharadze. Goderdzi Shvelidze, Avtandil Kopaliani, Mamuka Magrakvelidze, David Khinchaguishvili, David Zirakashvili, Akvsent Guiorgadze, Ilia Zedguinidze, Victor Didebulidze, Mamuka Gorgodze, Levan Datunashvili, Guia Labadze, Besso Udessiani, Rati Urushadze, George Chkhaidze, Zviad Maissuradze and Ilia Maissuradze. I mean I can't stop laughing at the commentators attempts with this selection of names
(PS I like cut and paste)