Rugby, Warriors vs. Bulldogs

After nearly 6 years in NZ, I finally got the chance to watch live, my first rugby game.  A perk in this job of supporting youth with intellectual disability is the opportunity to be with them wherever they are.  I've been inside a classroom, movie house, restaurant, the zoo, gymnasium, swimming pool, and today the rugby field at the Waikato Stadium.  I was one of the more than 17,673 fans of the game between the Vodafone Warriors and the Canterbury Bulldogs.  It was a very informative and educational afternoon for me.

At times I felt more excited than the boys I was supporting.  It was worth the $37 ticket that the company paid for.  In the air was the natural friendly banter between Kiwis (Warriors) and Aussies (Bulldogs).  The blue and white clad supporters of the Bulldogs were as animated and boisterous as the variously-hued supporters of the Warriors.  The atmosphere that afternoon reminded me of the gladiators and coliseums of ancient Rome.  Roaring for an attack and moaning when deflected.

Now I understand why Kiwis are so passionate about rugby.  All the elements are present: huge and supportive crowd, flashy plays by the players (some of them even looked like moviestar-material, flamboyant and physically brute), a massive stadium, and the spectators came from all sectors of society, young, old, couples, singles, foreigners, children and even babies.  Watching a game was, is and will always be a family outing, specially on a nippy May afternoon.