Occasionally Auckland Sketchbook escapes the city to somewhere interesting — and close. This time the sketchbook got a workout in The Bay of Islands . Only 3.5 hours by car and a world away from work. The sketch above was made in down-town Paihia, it doesn't look it, but it is literally behind the main street. The view is the back of an old homestead called Williams House . I was attracted by the orchard of very old fig trees on the left that had me imagining eating juicy ripe figs. Sadly they weren't in season but it must be a fun place at harvest time. Right over the other side of the bay you will find his falling down old house on Matauwhi Bay. For a while there the water had a turquoise glow until the sun went into hiding. This is Pompallier House and Clendon Cottage in Russell sketched with my back to the sea. I may have used a little too much artistic licence in moving them close enough together to fit on my page so don't look too closely. Anyway, I have sketched Po...
We witnessed a brutal night of Rugby last night as the Springboks took on the All Blacks at Eden Park. There is nothing quite like being at a game to be reminded of how physical these matches are!
Unbelieveably the Boks haven't won at Eden Park since 1937, and they're fresh off their win against the Wallabies last week. The report I read of that match said they bullied and intimidated their to a win over the Australians - rugby journalists love writing stuff like that about the Boks don't they! Take captain Richie McCaw out of the game too due to injury and there were some Kiwis wondering if that winning drought might be over.
They needn't have worried, the match was brutal and bloody at times, but the home team were definitely on form with some of the newer players stepping up. The game was effectively brought to an end though when the referee red carded Bismarck du Plessis for elbowing Messam in the neck for what should really have been his first yellow card. (He had earlier been unfairly yellow carded for his huge tackle on Dan Carter. Carter is now injured for the rest of the series but the tackle was perfectly legal). New Zealand now go to the top of the championship.
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