We met in the lobby to travel to the game and it was not hard to see which team we supported. Everyone was kitted out in black with scarves, flags, face paint, the whole bit! We loaded up into the 3 buses and headed out. The flags were in the windows of the buses and as we got onto the motorway we were greeted by a variety of reactions- of course thumbs up, thumbs down, with associated tooting of horns (maybe horns have only just been allowed back??) we got a few middle fingers and waves (did I mention horns) but my personal favourite was the person who ripped off his shirt with the colours of Argentina on it, stuffed it out his skylight and proceeded to beat his chest and toot his horn as he passed the 3 buses, only then to drop back at the toll bridge and repeat the whole thing again.
We were taken to a venue at La Plata, which was about an hour away and had lovely wine and food and a few hours slipped by as we prepared for the match. We were taken through some chants and had a bit of a practice at those and in the enclosed room, the 300 of us sounded pretty sharp.
I was later to find out that is a drop in the bucket compared to a 55000 strong rugby crowd.
As time approached to leave the venue, I decided that the black balloons decorating the walls needed to be liberated and taken to the match. Then in my infinite wisdom, I decided to free one of the bamboo stakes from the planter boxes and put my balloons atop the stake. Had I had 0 glasses of wine, I would have made EXACTLY the same decision.
Had four balloons, was down to three within about 15 seconds. BUT being the McGyver that I am, I wrapped the popped balloon around the very sharp stake and hey presto! Once back inside the bus with my rather large totem to New Zealand Rubgy, I tied the flag cape that Kate had bought for our synchronized swimming team to the bamboo stake and I was ready!
This is when I noticed the cops.
As luck would have it, they were more interested in providing a police escort for the buses to get safely to the game. I began to wonder the wisdom of making myself SO fiercely New Zealand if our bus needed a police escort!
The New Zealand buses all parked together and we got out and made our way into the venue. I needn't have worried as the crowd are so impressed by the All Blacks that we got treated like royalty just for being dressed in black.
I am unable to describe the stadium and the way the crowd gets into the game. We are so boring when we watch sport as New Zealanders. We sit and clap when something happens and then give a cheer and a shout when we score. Not so the Puma fans. The place was alive and loud and I could not imagine more enthusiasm for the Gladiators of old. Our cheer was truly pathetic and our noise drowned out- thank God we won!!!
At the end of the game, their fans moved in on the New Zealand crowd and worked at swapping everything they could for All Blacks stuff. I gave my stolen bamboo stake with no balloons left and a $6 flag cap to a kid along with a black, silverfern cap and he looked like he just had 10 Christmas's.
It was VERY cool and if you get a chance to watch a rugby game in Argentina, grab it with both hands.
We were taken to a venue at La Plata, which was about an hour away and had lovely wine and food and a few hours slipped by as we prepared for the match. We were taken through some chants and had a bit of a practice at those and in the enclosed room, the 300 of us sounded pretty sharp.
I was later to find out that is a drop in the bucket compared to a 55000 strong rugby crowd.
As time approached to leave the venue, I decided that the black balloons decorating the walls needed to be liberated and taken to the match. Then in my infinite wisdom, I decided to free one of the bamboo stakes from the planter boxes and put my balloons atop the stake. Had I had 0 glasses of wine, I would have made EXACTLY the same decision.
 |
| A Puma support much closer than I am comfortable with..... |
Had four balloons, was down to three within about 15 seconds. BUT being the McGyver that I am, I wrapped the popped balloon around the very sharp stake and hey presto! Once back inside the bus with my rather large totem to New Zealand Rubgy, I tied the flag cape that Kate had bought for our synchronized swimming team to the bamboo stake and I was ready!
This is when I noticed the cops.
As luck would have it, they were more interested in providing a police escort for the buses to get safely to the game. I began to wonder the wisdom of making myself SO fiercely New Zealand if our bus needed a police escort!
The New Zealand buses all parked together and we got out and made our way into the venue. I needn't have worried as the crowd are so impressed by the All Blacks that we got treated like royalty just for being dressed in black.I am unable to describe the stadium and the way the crowd gets into the game. We are so boring when we watch sport as New Zealanders. We sit and clap when something happens and then give a cheer and a shout when we score. Not so the Puma fans. The place was alive and loud and I could not imagine more enthusiasm for the Gladiators of old. Our cheer was truly pathetic and our noise drowned out- thank God we won!!!
At the end of the game, their fans moved in on the New Zealand crowd and worked at swapping everything they could for All Blacks stuff. I gave my stolen bamboo stake with no balloons left and a $6 flag cap to a kid along with a black, silverfern cap and he looked like he just had 10 Christmas's.
It was VERY cool and if you get a chance to watch a rugby game in Argentina, grab it with both hands.
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