Dubious Dubai
In watching the men's and women's rugby sevens in Dubai, and living in Wellington makes one very frustrated.
Ok, a little history. Wellington Regional Stadium staged a leg of the international sevens tournament for years and though it dwindled in spectator numbers due to a number of fixable factors, upwards of 38,000 people had turned up each day of the two day event.
Then it went to Hamilton and good year-on-year numbers went through their stadium gates.
But now - from the 2023-24 internationals series on into the near future at least, neither Hamilton nor any other part of NZ gets to host the sevens. And yet Dubai hosts the event in conditions that can reach an unhealthy, sticky 40c and with several hundred spectators watching main;y from the back of sub-standard stands in largely less than enthusiastic conditions that are dispossessed of such things as ridiculously dressed-up and/or gentle beer swilling people.
And just now like in many other years, NZ is the world number one in both women's and men's rugby sevens.
I enjoyed the international rugby sevens at our stadium both as a spectator and in the capacity as a volunteer. One year my wife and I dressed up in Fijian garb and sat among the Fijian supporters and thoroughly loved it. Another time we dressed as dignified Indians and that was fun too.
But I wouldn't be travelling to Dubai to watch rugby sevens anytime soon. The international rugby sevens in Dubai is not a joke and of course money is finding its way into the coffers of world rugby though not via the turnstiles of the park used for rugby in that city.
STILL IN THE GAME
The Hurricanes fell short a few metres shy of the finishing line. An inspired Chief's team and three forward passes - with two of them perhaps not so - cost us the Super Rugby Pacific grand final at a packed out Sky Stadium against the Blues.
The weekend was not the best thing happening for Wellington as the Pulse went down in extra time to the Tactics in Christchurch to give up the lead in the netball championship and the Saints move up the basketball championship ladder was halted by the Bulls - also after extra time.
Well in 2024 Wellington in the best regarded domestic and Pacific sport championships still has done and is still doing very well and overall is almost certainly the leading province in NZ sport for 2024.
The Phoenix team stretched their season in the A-League right through to the semi finals. Wellington Firebirds (men) won crickets prestigious 4-day Plunket Shield for the 2023-24 season and the Wellington Blaze (women) won the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield for one-day cricket for yet another season.
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Poll: Is it still rude to wear a hat inside?
Times have changed and perhaps so has our societal rules around taking off hats when indoors. What are your thoughts?
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74.9% Yes, take them off indoors
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24.1% No, it's not anymore
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1% Other - I'll share below
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