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Fan's amnesia strikes just when needed most |
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Written by Forgetful Fan in the Stand
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Thursday, 16 August 2007 |
 THURSDAY night rugby is a fantastic idea. By the time this column appears, last week's awful game is just a distant memory. Maybe I'll write about gardening instead.
The Fan in the Stand has almost forgotten the mad dash to Rotorua for the 7pm kick-off and the fact that the Steamers only started playing at a more traditional 7.30pm.
I can only just recall how someone next to me described our line-out as the worst ever, by any team, in any game of rugby.
That was a big call given the All Blacks v Australia match early in the century but I was forced to agree with him. Our throws to the back of the line-out achieved such distance that Marcel Cummings-Toone could consider a career as a gridiron quarterback.
I have a dim memory of a passage of play early in the second half when we led by five and Northland seemed determined to hand us the game.
They kept dropping the ball and giving away penalties in a most charitable manner. In an equally charitable manner, we refused to kick a goal.
I am not sure how many penalty kicks were missed by Murray Williams but I pine for the days of Lord Glen Jackson.
He could be kicking a penalty from 60m out on the sideline and you could head for a hot dog safe in the knowledge that the score was about to increase by three.
Now Williams is injured for a while which reduces our backline options. His try against Northland was superb, as was his vision to kick for Rena Schuster's try. With Mike Delany sure to move to 10, the way could be open for Charlie Baxter to return. Charlie tore Manawatu apart in Rotorua last season. Happy memories.
I've always had a soft spot for Northland and their fans. For the three seasons 2003-2005, they lost every single NPC game they played - subsequently any win at this level is gratefully received. The last time the Bay played in Whangarei, in 2004, their fans were the friendliest I have encountered - and stoical in the expectation of another defeat.
The Bay fans haven't had a reason to be so pessimistic since 2002 - but I sense we aren't far away from it now.
Sunday's game against Manawatu is between the teams in 13th and 14th place, the only teams to have lost every game.
My gardening tip for the week: Don't waste valuable rugby-watching time mowing your lawn ... buy a cow instead.
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