Two games, two losses. At least Gareth Morgan has brought some consistency to the Hurricanes from the Phoenix.
Now holding a 0-2 record, Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett admitted he had a sorely dejected dressing room.
The Hurricanes were edged out 18-12 by the Reds in Brisbane.
Mistakes from both sides created a dour encounter, with Hurricanes skipper Conrad Smith left frustrated. Read more »
In the online Herald last night:
“Blues centre Rene Ranger is said to be on his way to French club Montpellier.
According to a report on Sky’s Reunion tonight, Ranger, who played three tests for the All Blacks in 2010, will leave the Blues at the end of the season.
It is curious timing from the 26-year-old, as he had a great chance to return to the All Blacks fold this year in the absence of Richard Kahui, who is leaving for Japan, and Conrad Smith, who is said to be taking a sabbatical at the end of the year. Read more »
Congrats to Dan Carter for sucessfully slotting one right in between the sticks.stuff.co.nz/sport/8002953/…
— Dominic Harvey (@DomHarvey) November 26, 2012
Sir Wilson Whineray passed away yesterday aged 77:
from Wikipedia
Sir Wilson James Whineray, KNZM, OBE (10 July 1935 – 22 October 2012) was a former business executive and the longest-serving captain of the All Blacks, New Zealand’s national rugby union team. Rugby writer T.P. (Terry) McLean considered him the All Blacks’ greatest captain.
A one game sanction for outright thuggery…pathetic.
A mystery man …his identity completely unknown …dressed in a Taniwha suit ….goofing around in the provinces.
How could The Northern Advocate fail to spot the obvious, it has to be David Shearer, found his true role at last.
I saw this link online and it got me thinking.
You’re looking at a recent photo of Eagle Stadium, in Allen, Texas, a northern suburb of Dallas. The stadium, three years in the works, will seat 18,000 when it opens later this month. It’s got two luxury suites, a pro-quality press box, a 3,400-square-foot HD video scoreboard—and tickets will be just $10 a game for the all-bleacher seating. This is Texas football.
An 18000 seat stadium for $60M USD = $75M NZD?
Cost per seat = $4,000 NZD (ballpark)
The new Christchurch stadium is going to cost $500M.
Covered 35000 seat stadium = $500M (from Stuff/NBR)
Cost per seat = $14,000
It just goes to show how poor stadia are economically. $14k per seat means you want to be recovering $1200 – $1400/seat in profit each year to pay for capital costs, planned replacement, maintenance. After running costs and payments to sports bodies, you haven’t got a show of getting that money. Just ask Dunedin how they are going with their forecasted revenue.
Sports venues are important for communities, but a half billion dollar stadium is a big ask. It could also kill the Dunedin stadium, interestingly, by offering a covered alternative closer to a major airport.
I don’t know what the payout from AMI was, but the cost really worries me, particularly when the Cantabs are not renowned for their attendance.
Final note – this can only be used for rugby. No cricket possible. So the days used per year drops again… 8 S15 games, 1 AB test match, 7-8 ITM cup games… it doesn’t add up on the back of my envelope. Not saying they shouldn’t build a stadium, but holy crap that’s expensive for what they are getting.
Who’s going to win?
Sonny Bill’s team?
Or the team from South Africa?
So John Kirwan has been appointed as coach of the Blues…I’m still not sure about the wisdom of JK coaching a team named after the euphemism for depression, but there you go.
At least now they will have HOPE.
It is somewhat of an urban legend that when Wales wins the Grand Slam a Pope dies, but no it appears to be true:
“Every time Wales wins the Rugby Grand Slam, a Pope dies, except for 1978, when Wales was really good and two Popes died,” the researchers said, quoting a Welsh saying.
The jinx endures, the BMJ letter points out.
It says that the “research” should include Coptic popes, whose lineage dates back to Mark the Evangelist.
“This year saw the death of the Coptic pope, Shenouda III, on the very day that Wales won the grand slam,” notes Edward Snelson, a paediatrician at the Sheffield Children’s Hospital in the northern English county of Yorkshire.
“He was pope for 41 years and succeeded Cyril VI, who died in 1971, in the same month that Wales won the Grand Slam again.”
Tongue firmly in cheek, Snelson adds: “Although the association between these deaths and the sporting events may not be fully understood, this research has created a false reassurance and may be putting the lives of other popes at risk.”
