Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Hampstead vs Southern


I am convinced there are days the Good Lord creates just so that we may stay inside and enjoy eachothers company and warmth. Also, to remember how good a sunrise or hot wind can feel.. Those in Wagga will know what I'm tallking about.. but yesterday.. ANZAC day was not one of 'those' days.. no, it was one of 'THOSE' days. 8 degrees. drving wind, stinging rain, soggy muddy ground. When I was in Sydney, and I was 16, playing sport in the rain was almost a perfect saturday. There is a significant difference though; Sydney's wind does not come straight from the Antartic. OK.. so you can see where this is going - I'm not even sure what the score was.. except that we scored nada.. zero.. diddly squat. I had one kick at goal.. never had a chance. To the boys who couldn't make the game, or were injured, consider yourselves blessed.

On a bright note.. I came home from the game... only in a towel - since Mark had nicked off early with my clothes in his car! but got in the door and promptly boiled myself in the bath for half an hour. Never felt better. Davey and Brian came around and with Spencer we had a chilled out, recovery style, beer 'n pizza night.

And now to my joy, is my first day at Ashburton Baptist. Not due in till 10:30 though.. Gold.

No photos.. who'd want any..

but in the interest of the Mo banter that has been going around..
enjoy


Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Ari Burnu Memorial

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.



Ari Burnu memorial, Gallipoli.



"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives ....
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehemets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours ...
You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears;
your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land
they have become our sons as well."

ATATURK, 1934

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Hampstead vs Southbridge, Methven and The Mo!

Busy week,

Last thursday night we played Southbridge (well known for being the home club of Dan "the man" Carter, All Black No. 10)
Ran in 4 tries to one.. Mafua Ula, Tokolua Tolu, Brian Parsons and Myself. Final score 32-10

We hardly got penalised after the opening 10 minutes a very encouraging game for the guys..

Then yesterday we played Methven at home. Methven are supposed to be one of the form sides down here, but today we pulled out our guns and started firing! Final score 44-6.
We ran in six tries, two to debut winger Amini.



Tries: Amini 2, Radio, Francis Ula, Morisi McGoon, Tokolua Tolu
Cons: Eddo 4
Pens: Eddo 2

Controversy of the day was Brian BP Parsons withdrawal after a suspected quad strain in the warm up.


More photos uploaded later this week. In the meantime
this is what happens when footy boys get together..
Facial hair growing dares and competition,
All in good fun, and practice for Movember

www.movember.com.au

What sort of man grows a Mo?

  • He’s a man with a love for life and with a lot of living to do.
  • He’s the first to be invited to a party and the last to leave.
  • He’s a man with confidence, a leader not a follower, he sets the trends that others follow.
  • When he takes off on a unique experience count on him taking a full bodied thirst quencher along. For his golden moments are often enhanced by a golden thirst.
  • He’s a great bloke, a great mate and a great lover.
  • He stays true to the Mo.


A

Monday, April 17, 2006

Easter Camp 2006 Part 1

Ashburton Baptist Youth Group


I have just got in from an awesome weekend away with New Zealand's Youth Groups. Over 3,000 kids from 84 different churches converged on Spencer Park just north of Christchurch. We had four days of great talks, seminars, fun and dead set craziness. There were live bands every morning lunch and night, outrageous stuff like mechanical bulls, helicopter rides - no joke!, skate ramp, carnival rides like any easter show has, 40ft water slides, rifle target shooting, a rave tent "the groove room", a movie theater, bungee trampolines, cafes run by youth groups to raise funds for mission trips, latin dancing lessons, band comps, world vision had a second hand clothes stall, NZBMS (bible mission society) had an info tent, touch footy comp, volleyball comp, jelly wrestling turned mud wrestling, cage soccer and other stuff i never got to!

An amazing thing that cooks from home can take as an encouragement, these guys fed the 3,100 odd people flawlessly everyday. In such a way the U.N. should be taking a closer look. I'm not kidding, every person had their food in 10 mins flat every meal time.. I have photos to prove it!

I'll give more details after as four days with the guys and girls has left me understandably drained.. some photos below.. but many more to come!

For the glory of Jesus,
A


Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Waratahs v Crusaders

Took the Youth Group down the Jade Stadium on Friday Night to hopefully see a NSW win. With Mat Rogers injured I wasn't holding out much hope. Still, I can't hide the truth so I got into all my Waratah gear and bared through the insults.



Needless to say we choked in the heat of the moment and lost 17-11. Impressively the 'Tahs did shut down Kiwi prettyboys Dan Carter (Fly Half) and Richie McCaw (Flanker).

The What if.. Peter Hewat with a 95% record missed several easy opportunities. Yup.. this ones going to drop short too.

As for the kiddies.. we had fun.. screamed yelled and even tried to chat up a few substititues who mistakingly thought a warm up infront of the single Waratah fan was the better option.. "Ta-ta-fuuuuuu.. Sammy.. Steve. .Benny.. Give us a wave!" ... no waves..

As expected, these nights never end smoothly. Guys from my van disappeared. Game ended 10:30.. I got home at midnight and crashed.
More fun all round begins tomorrow night. 7:30pm Hampstead v Southbridge away, then on to Easter Camp with the same guys till Monday.

Happy Easter to you all!
Eddo

Hampstead vs Allenton

Every year these two sides battle it out for the "Frosty" Steele Cup.
Frosty is a by-gone who played for both clubs. Typically, it was said he prefers to see it go our way rather than to the upper class end of town.

Donning our new training shirts, thanks to the kind folk at Speights Breweries helped set a more professional atmosphere in the warm up. The NorWester Gale that is well known in these parts came out to play. Cruelly it was blowing directly down the ground and in tandem with the setting sun! One half of the game was sure to be tough. It made for a strong and passionate defensive show from both sides. Candian Davey learned what happens in an elbow vs Nose confrontation.

Shortly after I ran over for a try in the corner.
Wonderboy, Brian Parsons (BP) failed to convert from the sideline. 5-0.

Jerome Paese slipping in to 13 to cover for brother Steve had a few darting runs and was unlucky to go all the way on a few occasions. Below a scrambling Allenton player ankle taps the former Wellington U/19 flyer. Christmas is in support on the left, BP on the right.


Brian missed one penalty but then converted another. 8-0. Super coach Shane Enright made a few changes in a bid to inject some energy into the second half slog against sun and wind.


The game then darted up and down the field as they kicked and we ran.. On too many occasions the ball just wouldn't bounce our way. The exception being the lineout where Spencer was taking charge in the absence of Alipate (His youngest was in hospital.) Here he steals yet another Allenton throw.

Penalties against the blue and gold were the telling tale of the whole game, final count was 32-8. Its amazing to come away with a win with such one sided statistics. Final score was 11-5 after they had some late success on the blind-side which they had pursued all day and Sia Fifita slotted a simple chance from in front.

Celebrations did continue into the wee hours for certain members of the team. The Somerset, Zeebo's, Kelly's, the Dirty Dev and Harrison's Bar all enjoyed the company of Hampstead men. Sadly Ashvegas was closed during the week due to legal complications with the owner's ability to continue to operate a liquor establishment.. .
Below some changeroom cheer.


Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Guardian Waihora Report

Centre Manase Nonu side-stepping Waihora
defense with Pumbaa in support.



By Erin Bishop

A heartbreaking try in the final minute saw Waihora snatch victory out from under Hampstead’s nose in the opening round of the PGG-Wrightson Cup on Saturday, winning 18-17.Hampstead hosted Waihora in the first round of the Mid Canterbury and Ellesmere combined rugby competition, and dominated the scoring for much of the game, but all of their hard work came undone in the dying minutes.With just minutes remaining in the match, and Hampstead ahead 17-13 on the scoreboard, Waihora launched an all out assault on Hampstead’s line, and the blue and golds managed to hold them out, until flanker David Neilsen was sent to the sideline by the referee for the remainder of the game.Hampstead was then left with 14 men on the field, with time practically up on the clock, trying to hold out a determined Waihora side, just metres from the tryline.With one less defender to worry about, Waihora sent the ball wide to its right wing, who just managed to dot down near the sideline despite some desperate defence, to put Waihora in the lead for the first time since early in the first half, by just one point. The tricky sideline conversion missed, but it did not matter.Waihora had struck first in the match, with an early penalty, but it was Hampstead’s impressive forwards who helped the home side strike back soon after, powering their way up field, before handing the ball to first-five Siaola Fifita, who found a gap out wide, and raced around to score under the posts, making the conversion of his own try an easy job.Waihora was left wondering what could have been later in the half, through a missed penalty, and what they thought was a try out wide being denied by a foot in touch spotted by the touch judge, before making no mistake with a third penalty attempt.Hampstead would have also been left wondering “what if …”, after Fifita was given what should have been a gift three points shortly before half time, but missed the shot at goal - three points which could have come in handy at the end of the 80 minutes.Up 7-6 at half time, Hampstead found itself having to make plenty of tackles in the second half, as Waihora looked to keep play down its end of the field, but when Hampstead finally did cross into its own 22, it made it count, with Manase Nonu crossing for his side’s second try.Waihora took just a couple of minutes to strike back, as a try of its own closed the gap to 14-13, and it continued to plug away at the Hampstead defence, until it finally broke through in the dying seconds.Hampstead rarely got a look at the tryline in the second half, but on another rare venture past the 22, slotted another three points to give it a late buffer which did not turn out to be quite enough.

http://www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz/index.asp?articleid=7015

Monday, April 03, 2006

Hampstead vs Waihora


There are moments in life.. where something little happens and suddenly we're transported back to a place.. a person.. a memory;

Saturday took me back to the glory days at Tryon Road, where I used to run out for the Lindfield Pigs. Moffatt will remember this most clearly by me running late for TC leaders meeting on wintery tuesdays.. :)
Why did it take me back you ask?
Was it the score? The players? the Ref... ?
Unfortunately not. The Soldiers Memorial Park was more notable for the cricket square stretching across the middle of the ground.. and the ability for the pitch to resemble a cheese grater after some rain and a sunny friday. The hampstead ground thankfully has no cricket heritage.. but regretfully did have the rain and sunny friday. The result..





The game itself was a mix of good play and a disappointing last 5 minutes when the guys dropped their heads (got lazy) and let the visitors in for a try, shamefully losing a winable game by one lousy point. 17-18.

No point crying about it, I'm sure the super-coach will make training this week a sufficient example of what happens when we get lazy!

A

Simon Elvis Solomon

After much time thinking that child support is a worthy ambition I have finally taken the plunge. Simon Elvis made me smile.. Plus, he likes soccer and is an average performer at school.. We have some connection here I think.. ha.

Below is just the little blurb Compassion International gave me:



Child Biography

Simon Elvis Solomon
Birthday: March 13, 1993
Age: 13
Country: Tanzania
Program: River Lutheran Student Center
Personal and Family Information:Simon makes his home with his mother. Carrying water, gathering firewood and caring for animals are his household duties. His mother is sometimes employed as a farmer. There are 2 children in the family.As part of Compassion's ministry, Simon participates in church activities and Bible class. He is also in primary school where his performance is average. Soccer, playing with cars and playing group games are his favorite activities.Your love and support will help Simon to receive the assistance he needs to develop his potential. Please pray for him.

for further information on Compassion Intl check out
http://www.compassion.com