Wednesday, October 26, 2011

New Zealand and the Rugby World Cup


New Zealand in Rugby World Cup - my daughter crunches the figures

Year
Location
NZ place
Final Won
Final Lost
Teams
1987
New Zealand & Australia
Eden Park, Auckland

1st
New Zealand 29
France 9
16
1991
England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France
Twickenham Stadium, London

3rd (won against Scotland 13-6 after losing to Australia 6-16 in semis)
Australia 12
England 6
16
1995
South Africa
Ellis Park, Johannesburg

2nd
South Africa 15
New Zealand 12
16
1999
Wales (also England, France, Scotland and Ireland)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

4th (lost to SA 18-22 after losing to France 31-43 in semis)
Australia 35
France 12
20 – 1st professional RWC
2003
Australia
Telstra Stadium, Sydney

3rd (won 40-13 against France after losing to Australia 10-22 in semis)
England 20
Australia 17
20
2007
France (+ 4 in Wales & 2 in Scotland)
Stade de France, St-Denis, Paris
Quarter Finalists (lost to France 18-20)[1]
South Africa 15
England 6
20
2011
New Zealand
Eden Park, Auckland

1st
New Zealand 8
France 7
20



[1] Australia also lost in Quarters, against England 10-12; Fiji lost to SA; Scotland lost to Argentina – Argentina ended up 3rd beating France in the Bronze Final

Friday, October 21, 2011

No more jazz in catherdral ... but jazz in the park

An array of great musicians have been selected to perform as part of Taste Jazz, which will take place in the Hagley Park Events Village on Saturday, November 5.

Over the course of the day some of the best jazz musicians from around the country will perform for the public, free of charge, ahead of a ticketed tribute concert to the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald in the evening.

Taste Jazz has been organised by the New Zealand International Jazz & Blues Festival to give Christchurch people a lift and to give them a taste of what is in store for them next year.



No jazz in the Cathedral for some years I suspect

“We had to cancel this year’s festival because of the quakes so Christchurch people have not had many opportunities to enjoy live jazz. We thought it was about time we brought music back into their lives,’’ says festival director Jodi Wright.

The Christchurch Jazz Orchestra will be followed on stage by Solpak, a dynamic jazz band that has been performing in New Zealand since the early 1990s.

During the afternoon there will be performances by harmonica player Nola Mills and the Tom Rainey quartet, Christchurch jazz band Sumo Jazz, the Rayna Creagh Quartet, and the Reuben Bradley quartet- the winner of the 2011 Vodafone Music Award for Best Jazz Album.

"It’s going to be a lovely day out so get your friends and family together and join us in North Hagley Park for some great soul-soothing music," Ms Wright says.

Taste Jazz will be followed on November 6 by Taste Blues, which brings together Christchurch’s blues stalwarts for another day of free entertainment.

For more information go to jazzfestivalnz.com.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Tui sings and NZ is in the RWC finals

Like most kiwi, this tui ( a native NZ bird) sings for the All Blacks

New Zealand plays France for this cup next weekend - the Webb Ellis Cup, in the Rugby World Cup

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Tonga beat the French: Rugby World Cup NZ 2011

Tonga beat the French in the Rugby World Cup (RWC) NZ 2011 yesterday - here are some highlights from day - players and fans!



French captain interviewed after their 19-14 loss


un baggette




French fans fold up their flag


pre-game challenge



photographers line up



Jubilant Tongan captain

go hard Tonga



Tongan haka at start of game






Very happy players

A trumphant Haka after the game

who are the women in this flag ... and why are they on it?