As the Black Bear awoke from his slumber on Saturday morning, tearing open the rolling door of the campervan he had been sleeping in to reveal the soft pre-dawn light rising over the breaking waves and sandy beach, his thoughts were with the boys, 2,000km’s away, preparing for battle with Trinity. The Black Bear was silly enough to roll over to The Black Bearess and tell her this. The response was swift and brutal.

 

The Pacific coast of New Zealand is an unforgiving place, full of soaring limestone cluffs and fushing villages, populated by men who seem left behind by evolution, warriors from a different age, and the women who kill them (one woman was recently sentenced for the murder of a publican (not a large sea-bird, Bdub, the one who serves the beer) after she felled him with a single punch.

 

The tour was instigated as part of the Black-on-Black Cross-Cultural Learning and Talent Exchange Program between the University Blacks and our Eastern neighbour, the All Blacks, to celebrate the Tri-nations tournament currently underway. Some of you may have seen the All Blacks representative around recently, Noneka Uata’ugonadoobudit. Thanks heaps to Noey for being such a good sport, and good luck for the rest of the Tri-nations series.

 

The tour began in Auckland, before heading east towards the coast. The first night, we bunkered down at the base of Mount Tittiwannawinmore, rising early to head north to Raugotabigboot for a friendly match. After 6 minutes of play and one tackle, the Black Bear left the ground with a punctured lung, 3 suspected broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a compressed vertebrae.

 

The second night was spent in the rural village of Lokorunawayalot, before attending a junior tournament on day 3 in the coastal town of Kempokikagoalortu. Junior tournaments in these parts involving picking teams of 15-a-side, throwing a ball amongst the melee, watching as 28 6ft, 110kg 13yr olds belt seven shades out of each other, while the only little guy on the field runs, panicking, away from them as fast as he can, call it a day, then go and drink a flagon of beer to celebrate the skill and honour shown of the game they play in heaven.

 

But I digress…

 

2s

With a finals berth already assured, it was a dead rubber for Bazzles Battlers, and unfortunately, they played like it. With the lead in each quarter going with the wind, we had the lead at the last change, before a slow final term saw Trinity come away with the win in a low-scoring affair.

 

Jules (that’s a girls name) McVilley showed some fight down back, While Huw Symon came back towards the footy we all know he can play and Torney had a performance that will bring his odds for the B&F in to around $1.12. Good to see Charles Beaton kicking a goal and getting in the best for Trinity, although I thought he was currently in London having Sunday dinner parties with plenty of desert…

 

Q1       Q2       Q3       Q4

OLD TRINITY            1.1       4.6       6.6       9.7-61

UNI BLACKS             2.4       3.5       7.9       8.11-59

 

 

 

1s

After a fantastic first half, destiny seemed to be within the reach of Wooly’s Ones, but 3 goals to 11 in the second half, including a goal-less last quarter, put and end to that.

 

Aaron Rau continued on with his good form of late, becoming a crucial part of our line-up, with Levi Kalms providing plenty of help. Vanderloo and Pitt were the best of the forwards, with Rusty Nail good in the ruck, Scarlett Johannsen unbeaten down back and Oh, (Hara!) again one of the best.

 

Good to see John (I’m a nice guy, but get in front of me on the field and I will end you) Kosch back up in the seniors and amongst the best after a lengthy return from a knee reco. A late entrant for the Black Bear Player of 2009.

 

As Kevin Sheedy would have told Bolts plenty of times during August, it’s still mathematically possible, so let’s get out on the track, have a red hot go at it and give ourselves very chance. Also, I’m busy next Monday, so it’s not a good time to spend the whole day in the beer garden of the Clyde.

 

Q1       Q2       Q3       Q4

OLD TRINITY            1.1       3.2       9.3       14.7-91

UNI BLACKS             5.2       8.4       11.5     11.8-74

 

 

P.S. Not to be looking too far ahead, but myself and Dan Cos will be getting together throughout the summer to get big. Not silly big, just big like Lote Tuqiri. Get amongst it.