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Similar Stadium, Similar Performance, Similar Result


By LI Bohemian
March 21 2016

Landed in NY on the Friday before the match, met up with the rest of my LI mates and some state side friends coming to their first rugby game, and had a good night out.

The next morning we got some yellow cabs to the meeting place down town called Becketts Bar, where we all watched both Ireland and England get positive results. Then had to catch the train to the game via Wall Street stock exchange and then the ground zero memorial at the newly finished World trade centre station. The transport on the day did remind me of a Twickenham event on a smaller scale, the stadium was a similar size and appearance to the Madstad and the drinks although easier to obtain weere for once more expensive. The mixture of fans was 1/3 Irish 1/3 Saracens 1/3 American neutrals I think.
The game started out quite tight and controlled for Irish at least and with an early TMO shout for Irish but a foot was in touch, a penalty was then converted by Tonks, then Irish proceeded to give away the softest of tries with Saracens not even out of third gear. After that Irish seem to stir themselves for what was there best play of the match with a well worked try by Lewington coupled with a penalty, the score was 13-7 at half time, this was better than I was expecting and yet again hopes were raised, but that's really as good as it got, Irish conspired to throw away it all by, in the first part of the second half, bad discipline, and the final quarter with tired clueless unprofessional play, eg passing to Saracens, taking the ball in a static position and to cap it off kicking the ball when it was never on and when all was required was to hang on to possession for 2 mins, to at least get a bonus losing point. I did feel sorry for Lewy who gave his all, if the rest had played to his standards Irish would have won.
After the game the victorious Saracens team clapped the fans on my side of the pitch (east stand) whilst the Irish team had a huddle but then stayed over at the west stand.
I'm over it now though, thanks

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Similar Stadium, Similar Performance, Similar Result
Discussion started by The Craic www.londonirish.org , 21/03/2016 12:22
The Craic www.londonirish.org
21/03/2016 12:22
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Saz's old man
21/03/2016 20:46
Fair report, stadium did remind me off Mad stad many years ago..$13 for a beer was bloody steep....

LI Bohemian
22/03/2016 00:28
Guiness was $11 a can

When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.

fatlad76
22/03/2016 00:57
Despite the result I really enjoyed the whole event! Two games in Becketts and then the real match. Right about the beer prices but another niggle was the Americans! Up and down more times than the Asyrian Empire ... Now that did remind me of twickenham!

Interesting though came home after the parade and almost immediately back out to California for work. While shopping south of San Jose wearing a LI shirt an American came up to me and asked whether I was at the game on the other side of the country. Perhaps the message on the game is getting out there!

Shame I missed the Gloucester game but good result. Come on the boys for the rest of the seasonal!

Even enjoyed the craic with Caimh the night before!

LI Bohemian
22/03/2016 01:21
I forgot to mention that when I was in the states in 1993, I said to a few people there that I might pop back next year for the World Cup and they didn't have a clue that I was talking about. Moving forward to this time over there I saw a lot more football (soccer) being shown and talked about in bars and in general. I think it will take time but the only way to spread Rugby is to play more games in the states, it was just bad timing for us this season.

When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.

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