A round-up of today's other stories in brief
ACCESS ALL AREAS
TRAFFIC CHAOS around Eden Park was compounded by the difficulty of access, but when their car was driven to the ground last Saturday the ITV commentator, Simon Ward, expected to be turned away at the gate. He most probably would have been too, but for the steward with the Irish accent recognising his co-commentator in the passenger seat. “On ye go Quinny.”
Alan Quinlan – Legend.
Ireland first: Rest nowhere
ON ONE of the innumerable television rugby magazine programmes, Tuesday night's hour-long edition of Re-Union(which featured RTÉ radio commentator Michael Corcoran) reflected on the weekend's matches and conducted a phone-in/on-line poll asking viewers which team's win impressed them the most.
In first place came Ireland, on a whopping 82.6%, followed by South Africa (9.7%), New Zealand (3.9%), Wales and France (each on 1.9%), and finally England. On 0.0%.
“We’d get hung from the highest tree in New Zealand if we go out and try not to win a Test match, it’s just not in our psyche.” – New Zealand coach Steve Hansen on the notion that they might deliberately finish second in their pool
Connacht's strong ties: Vainikolo the star turn
CONNACHT MAY have no current members of the Irish squad at the World Cup, but their ties to the tournament are more pronounced the closer you look. Of course, they will take considerable interest and pride in the progress of Seán Cronin, who has just finished a three-year stint there during which time he played 62 times for the province.
Cronin wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for his stay at Connacht and Eoin Reddan launched his professional career there in 2001, going on to play 23 times for them over the ensuing two seasons.
However, Connacht do have a current representative of the province in the shape of summer signing Fetu’u Vainikolo (see main photograph above) who lined out for Tonga on the wing against Japan yesterday, scoring a try.
Also in the Tongan squad is former Connacht centre Andrew Mailei, who made eight appearances for the province in the ’05/’06 season, while another former Connacht player, Ofisa Treviranus, is involved with Samoa. Younger brother of current Connacht flanker Ray, the 27-year-old played 11 times for Connacht in the ’07/’08 season and has been a regular feature at blindside flanker for Samoa this year.
Coffers full after 10 days: New Zealand loving it
NEW ZEALAND is feeling the love, and the credit cards.
Overseas visitors have spent an estimated NZ$12 million (€7.5m) in the first 10 days of RWC 2011. Compared to the same period last year, the main beneficiaries, needless to say, have been in hospitality, with an additional NZ$9.2m (€5.75m) on food and beverages. But car rental companies have also had a boom in business, enjoying an extra NZ$2.1 (€1.3m), with hotel takings up NZ$900,000 (€56,250).
One would venture that the mass invasion of Irish and Australians for the near 60,000 capacity meeting at Eden Park last Saturday would have made a sizeable contribution.
One of the fringe benefits in the retail sector was that, apparently, all Ireland jerseys were sold out in Auckland by Saturday night, with plenty of Kiwis willing to adopt the men in green for the occasion. Thousands of Irish were seen partying long into the night.
“Attacks win matches, defences win cups” has adorned many a dressingroom wall or team room over the years. With everyone having played two matches on foot of Italy’s win over Russia on Tuesday night, the team with the best defensive record (just 16 points conceded) was? Ireland.
Tullow Boys on the way: But don't bring soccer balls
SEÁN O’BRIEN yesterday confirmed The Tullow Boys, his 25-strong legion of home town fans, are “on the way” to swell the contingent of Irish supporters in New Zealand. They are travelling, he thinks, in three of four camper vans.
“You can’t miss ’em,” he laughed, and then added: “you won’t miss ’em.”
O’Brien was also asked if, em, he or any of the other boys in green would draw any inspiration from the other boys in green in their recent 0-0 draw in Moscow against Russia.
“I absolutely hate soccer,” was O’Brien’s unequivocal response. So, eh, no? “No.”
“I never really have liked soccer, to be honest. I played a bit when I was younger but I wouldn’t be a big fan of watching it now. I think they get paid way too much money for what they do, and they’re jumping around half the time.”
Yeah, when you see Drogba or Ronaldo (right) up to their histrionics and imagine them pitched into the Eden Park mix for five minutes, if only for five minutes, to discover what real pain is like, it’s hard to quibble with O’Brien’s viewpoint.
