It started innocently enough, Donsteppa saying that "a few of da boys' are gathering for the Taranaki match at Bay Park, would you like to come along?
Being the busy lad that I am, I ummed and arred, putting a decision off. That is until I got home to find a Swamp Fox head in my bed, and a message from the Don saying, "what time WILL we see you"... That's when I thought that perhaps not as innocent as I was first led to believe...
So, a beautiful day dawned as I headed to Bay Park, a tad tired after the mighty Thames Valley Swamp Foxes (minus mascot) 12-6 win over the Ngati Bro East Coast and long journey home from Ruatoria, but determined to be there after the loss of the mascot, as the Valley can't afford too many of those.
A quick stop at the QE2 events centre to watch the Waikato Netball side whop up the Bay side in their NPC - which I failed to mention to the Mafia on the off chance they would read it as a bad omen having someone at the rugby that had just witnessed a thumping of a Bay side at NPC level...
So, waiting at the gate, (a huge crowd too, most excellent for the Bay), and from no where the Mafia appear, the Don, the lovely Mrs Don, Father Don and brother Don all turn up, as scary site for this little ole country boy, but fortunately I was dressed correctly, and passed muster - right down to the Chiefs shorts - although I hoped their bad karma would not be noted by the Mafia...
Into the game after the pointless queuing at the wrong gate for the wrong tickets - The Don none to impressed and heard muttering, "something's gotta be done about this"... So finally into our seats - the $20.00 ones - the Mafia spare no expenses - in group AA - not bad seats, and right in line to watch Ormond show Tito the effectiveness of a fend on a high tackle in the game of rugby today.
Certainly an experience at the game in the company of the Mafia. A few more of the family turned up as we waited for the kickoff, seemingly materialising out of thin air and just 'being there' when you least expect them. I was torn between watching then game and watching the Mafia. The full range of emotions were shown as the Western Bay Finance Bay of Plenty Steamers showed all their skills, from blowing tries "Use your hands you fool, you know, those things on the ends of your arms", to not taking points, "the posts, the posts, there in front of you, those things sticking out of the middle of the try line you idiot", to scoring tries, "your shite Tito, can your mother play rugby"... It was an experience worth the $20 and the mascot that it cost!! So I managed to survive my first official meeting with the Mafia, and on their home patch. Perhaps it had something to do with my loud whispers of "come on the Bay" and not laughing too loudly as the insults flowed onto the field as the Bay did everything in their power to blow tries and not win the match.
Only disappointment was the no show of the Naki Mafia - certainly pretenders, was looking forward to the meeting of the families.
And the mascot Hori Bop - great to see the Bay's biggest fan (all 170kg of him, official food, Pies) in action, a true legend of the game! |
News and Opinion 
