Try.... To The All Blacks

My father was very much a rugby (union) fan. And the All Blacks were the at the very least in his eyes (particularly when they won), The Demi-Gods of New Zealand. And we were expected to show true deference and respect.  Even God could not help you if you spoke out against the “All Blacks” (he could offer criticism, but not we children. There was not a test match that could pass without my father watching it. It wouldn’t matter if it was on the other side of the world against such fearsome teams (of that era) as  “The Lions, The Barbarians, The Welsh, Irish or Scotland (did they have a catchy name, I don’t recall, I just loved the unofficial anthem ‘Flower of Scotland’). For those overseas internationals, we would sometimes hear my father arise at the early morning hours to go to the lounge to watch a broadcast, once they started using Satellite technology. We would drift back to sleep, only to be woken at intervals by the roaring, cheering voice of my father, excitedly yelling “Go on! Go On!” You Beauty!” When a try was about to be scored by one of the All Blacks. Hen it wasn’t scored I’ll just say that other words were often expressed, which it was hard to understand through the closed door of our bedroom. We were occasionally allowed to sit at the back of the room and watch a local (New Zealand) televised game (even  though there was only the one channel on our televisions, you could be assured the game would be televised). The opportunity to watch the game came with set of strict rules which took a few attempts to learn. You could watch the game so long as ....

1)    You only supported the All Blacks

2)    You cheered loudly when the All Blacks scored a try (or kicked a goal)

3)    You cheered even louder when the All Blacks stopped a try being scored

4)    You did not support the opposition (instant banishment).

5)    You did not agree with the referee when he made a decision against the All Blacks (even if he was right)

6)    You did not cheer for an opposition try (where was the sportsmanship?)

7)    You did not talk about anything other than the game.

8)    You did not fidget on the couch (which was behind where he sat in his chair)

9)    You did not jiggle your leg when sitting on the couch.

And especially : You did not laugh or make a noise and wake him, when father fell asleep during a game in his chair and started to snore.

This was often what happened if it was a replay of a televised game, which our father had got up to watch in the middle of the night. When, since rugby is a winter game (northern hemisphere seasons when being televised by satellite), and on a warm sunny day, sitting in ‘his chair’ after a few beers and a lunch (mock whitebait fritters – deep fried hash browns are the nearest comparison), and he had drifted off to sleep during the game, and you laughed and woke him..... Then that was up to you as to how you wished to be treated, tasked to some job that needed to be done, but naturally sent from the room.

(Continued tomorrow)