A Night out in Brazil
By Stopsy
July 29 2013
A night out in Brazil. I am lucky in my work that I get to travel around a bit, last April I was in Brazil and was mightily impressed to see large rugby banners along the highway, it transpires that the lead contractor uses rugby as a way to help keep young men on the straight and narrow.
I was even more impressed when my colleague asked whether I wanted to go and see a test match between Brazil and Mexico. So work done for the day we trotted off to the Estadio Martins Pereira. The armed police at the gates seemed a little over the top and the attendance was probably around the 5,000 mark in a stadium that would have seated 15,000. Sao Jose dos Campos in Sao Paulo state is the rugby capital of Brazil and also where I am based when I go there.
Onto the pitch came the players, the local mayor was broadly jeered at as he kicked the ball. The anthems were played and pennants exchanged, the South and Central Americans do like a good few verses of their anthems.
The game kicked off and pretty soon it was apparent that both sides would have struggled to beat Sandbach 2nd XV. Brazil started to establish a lead of 15 – 7 at half time and eventually ran out winners by 50 – 14.
The Brazilian Fly half had the most amazing kicking routine which I will try and describe. The posts are represented by the H, place the ball and retreat about 5m from it to point a and then 2m towards the touchline to point b, all pretty standard stuff so far.
Adopt the Johnny Wilkinson crouch and count to 5.
Still in the crouch, flap your arms out slowly and bring back to the Wilkinson clasp three times.
Turn your back to the ball in a clockwise direction and run round in a curve to point c
Then run and hoof the ball.
For all the strange approach he was successful with all but 1 kick.
The people I was with enjoyed the game immensely however my limited linguistic skills meant that I missed out on most of the banter which from the reaction of those around us appeared to be highly amusing.
A great evening out and very good to see our game beginning to spread.
For pictures, see http://latinphoto.smugmug.com/keyword/martins%20pereira%20stadium#!i=2483149762&k=mTRrhnS
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:08:12:22:18:12 by Tiggs.
So now we need another article within 2 weeks please !!
I agree it's good to see the game spreading. If Russia ever take it seriously we're in trouble.
'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget
Never managed to make it to Brazil. Your airmiles account must be really something Mr. S.
