Australia vs Wales

Hey everyone!

Yesterday was so crazy that I was exhausted when I got home, so I'm posting today. 

Had a bit of a lie in and then set off about 10am to Putney station. On the tube I got greased off a lot by I suppose disgruntled English people. I had Aussie flags on my face and was wearing my flag as a cape! The national rail was a different story. People got on and high fived me saying "GO AUSTRALIA!" haha. In Putney I met Alisha, Shannon and their housemate Andy and his friend Bex. They had breakfast and then we got the train to Twickenham. 

We got there about 12 which was super early as the game didn't start 'til 4.45pm, but we had all been to Twickers before (me in May for the rugby 7s) and know what the crowds on trains are like - yuck. We took a funny photo at the train station with the 'home of England rugby' sign as England are now eliminated from the World Cup thanks to us, and then walked to the stadium. 

Along the way we took a picture of me doing a line out alongside a statue of some players in one, Shannon and Andy lifted me up haha. We also sang the Aussie national anthem in a MasterCard bus to get some freebies (key ring and rugby ball - more stuff to cart home!!) and chatted to some volunteers about the game. Shannon and Andy got interviewed by a radio lady and we took lots of pictures as well!!

I decided that due to the fact I had paid £255 (including postage) for my ticket which in today's economy is equivalent to about $550 Australia that I was going to make back as much of it as possible. So along with the key ring and ball I also got some free coca cola, Shannon gave me a scarf that said 'Australia vs Wales' and I kept the cup I later drank cider in. At the end of the day I found a program (worth £15-20 I think) on the train too. Yay!!

We wandered around outside, took part in a scrum challenge and then headed in. They had converted what is usually a car park into a Heineken fan zone area. So we stayed in there, had a couple of drinks and wandered about. We took photos, read tweets up on the big screen (my favourite of which was by JK Rowling - Robyn I took a photo as I know you'll get it!! She's Scottish and was in Newcastle for their game). We saw ex Welsh rugby player Scott Quinnell and then settled near the big screen to watch Scotland vs Samoa, which was a decider for who the winner of our match would play next week in the quarter finals. 

My friend James arrived and stayed with us. Had a couple of drinks, ate fish and chips and watched Scotland win in a very close contest. We all then split up and went to our seats. I was alone, James was alone, Alisha and Shannon were together and so were Andy and Bex. 

My seat was pretty good, but to be 100% honest with you for how much I paid I was slightly disappointed. I had a phenomenal view of the ground, but I was far back under a roof type thing like you can be at the MCG which led me to feel like I was in a box and not at the stadium. Never mind. I was lucky with the people around me! To ,y left I had two Aussies in their 60s who live in London, to my right two welsh men in their 50s who live in London and in front of me two Irish guys about my age who live in Melbourne. They said they support St Kilda as they moved to Melbourne the week of the 2010 grand final and they picked the underdogs. Silly them!!!!

Everyone sitting near me said something along the lines of "gee, it's unusual for a girl from Melbourne to be a rugby fan!" And they're right. Everyone here assumes if you like rugby you're from QLD or NSW. But I owned up and said I didn't know the rules a month ago but Jamie has been teaching me. Shannon bought me a 'ref link' but the crowd was so loud I couldn't hear the ref on his microphone so instead tuned into the commentary on it. That helped a lot!

The teams came out and we sang the national anthems. The Welsh one was magic, unbelievable! We were definitely outnumbered and theirs gave me goosebumps. Then it was our turn! The version we had was far too slow, but never mind. Belted out the words as loud as humanly possible whilst keeping up an OK tune. So proud to be an Aussie and I love singing our national anthem!!! 

Then the game began. And for the next 80 minutes I was transfixed. It was such a close, hard defensive game because both teams are so even. There were no tries which was slightly disappointing but that just shows what a tough game it was. We won 15-6 in the end but that isn't reflective of how close it was. At half time it was 9-6 and in the second half two of our players went off for ten minutes with yellow cards. This meant we were playing with 13 men vs 15 men, and Wales had the ball down their end literally for about 10 minutes. How they didn't score I don't know! Our defence was absolutely amazing and pushed and pushed, and we managed to prevent them getting a try. There were a few close calls but they didn't place it down properly - phew!!

I had that feeling I've so missed about afl. I was so nervous I felt I might cry and I had butterflies in my stomach. If we lost its a very hard road to the final, first Wales play South Africa and then most likely New Zealand. We on the other hand take on Scotland next week and if we win that then either Ireland or France. Not an easy road, but easier than the other one!!!

Everyone kept turning to ask me questions because I had the ref link. I sounded so rugby intelligent "it's an illegal knock on, they're saying its a yellow card because we would have scored a try otherwise" (thank you Shannon). For the most part everyone around us was totally lovely. There were two English guys who got up to get alcohol and everyone got annoyed as we couldn't see. I didn't say anything but they passed as our fly half Bernard Foley was taking a kick and I think my face showed I was panicked I would miss it. The rude man said "don't worry love, you won't see any more of those anyway" and I turned back and said "yeah, well it's more than you'll see the rest of the tournament isn't it!!" Are you proud everyone? I made a comeback about rugby and completely owned an Englishman in his own country. The Aussie guy next to me high fived me haha. Aside from that, everyone around us was great. Rugby is fantastic. Everyone gets along and post game you all pat each other in the back and say "good luck next week!" The way all sports should be, soccer/football could learn a thing or two. 

I hung about and got some people to take my photo in the ground. One group of men I asked (there weren't many women around in my section - I was one of few!) asked who I wanted one with. When I explained I was alone one jumped in my photo haha. 

The Aussies went around the boundary clapping people and thanking us for coming (mum, pa, na na, Ian and Robyn you'll recognise one - see if you can!). Then I headed out to meet the others at the statue. It was PACKED, but first I found James. Then a slightly dejected but still jovial Andy (he's Welsh and such a nice guy!) and then Shannon and Alisha. We headed to a pub and had a few quiet drinks whilst watching England take on Uruguay (doesn't mean anything though as us and Wales go through) and a chat. Then headed home as my cold had reared its head again and we had had such a huge day. 

Today I slept in 'til 10. I was meant to go to Oktoberfest in London with James and my friend Lexi (remember the Canadian girl I met in Scotland? She moved here this week!) but it got cancelled so we went out for a roast lunch as a final farewell to Jess. Me, James and Lexi met Jess and her cousin Paul at a restaurant in Chelsea and I had roast beef with Yorkshire pud. And chocolate brownie with ice cream for dessert. Was great to catch up!! I alighted at Earls Court so took a photo for you, Mum!

Afterwards, James, Lexi and I went to the Monument to the Great Fire of London. We paid the fee and climbed the 311 steps to the top! It was built in between 1671-1677 off a design by Sir Christopher Wren to commemorate the fire that burned most of London to the ground from 2-5 September 1666. The tower is about 61m tall, the same distance the monument is from Pudding Lane where the actual fire started. The view was great, it was sunny and cool today. We could see lots of landmarks and took some photos. Walked to the Tower of London then headed back. So great especially to see Lexi and catch up, hopefully we do a bit more before I head home!

Tonight I'm applying for jobs, doing washing etc. Tmro I'm back at the school where the kid swore at me and I think I have that class again - oh dear!

Love to all

Claire

Xoxox