Rugby Undead
No, rugby did not die due to the Covid pandemic and the complexity and stop-start outcomes of its rules.
At the weekend the AB-Ire, SA- Wales and Aust-Eng internationals attracted 150,000 spectators collectively and add in the other 5 international matches at the weekend just past, and the spectators added up to over a quarter of a million.
And those watching through tv etc were in their millions and millions.
The record for the most spectators at a rugby match is 120,000 and every continent other that Antarctica (where rugby of a sought has been played at Scott Base) an international match has seen at least 60,000 people present.
Of course I am still recovering from the euphoria of the ABs on Saturday evening at Eden Park swamping the Irish who may just have been favourite to win the contest. And we had Hurricanes-flavoured players Ardie Savea, Beauden Barrett and Jordie Barrett absolutely star for the triumphant men in black.
The question is: will Savea be given the title of the best rugby player on the planet for 2022?
I wouldn't be changing a single player from the ABs starting 15 for the second test against the Irish even though three Covid struck members of the playing squad may be available again and Dalton Papalii is back to full fitness.
And not to be sports bias, I watched the Warriors go from horribly terrible to heroes in front of 26,000 people in Auckland earlier today in winning their first match of the last eight in the Australian league competition, in a welcome home after nearly 3 years stuck across the Tasman.
What word sums up 2024, neighbours?
If 2020 was the year of lockdowns, banana bread, and WFH (work from home)....
In one word, how would you define 2024?
We're excited to see what you come up with!
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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63% Summer
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35.6% Winter
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
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