Anzac day and the All Blacks

For a change in the usual topics, yesterday we celebrated ANZAC day, a day of remembrance for our fallen soldiers.
I went to 2 morning gatherings and good to see some good numbers turning out these days, both attended by hundreds.

Some history and items of interest here...

http://www.allblacks.com/news/19194/Anzac-Day-and-the-All-Blacks

Lest we forget.

Always lamb chops and a few games of two up in our house.

Taylorman
Yesterday morning I went to the dawn parade at the domain,along with 10,000 others, and I sang Advance Australia fare with just as much emotion as God defend New Zealand. but back to the rugby.

It struck me yesterday how little the NZRFU and the ARU do in terms of rugby on ANZAC day. I know rugby cant have an ANZAC test like league at this time of year when the players schedule is already competely jammed, sitting down yesterday afternoon to enjoy the day off,I ended up watching the Sydney Roosters V Saint George at a packed Sydney Football stadium,and then followed by the NZ warriors v Melbourne Storm,two excellant games of League.

Why couldnt one of the Super xv games involving an Australian team versus a New Zealand team be delayed from last weekend,or one brought forward from next weekend? it just seems that SANZA are missiing out on whats going on around them.
I also dont buy the excuse that its too tough on the players because they dont get a big enough break, as many players yesterday in the League games also played last Friday night in the ANZAC test at Eden Park.

True...they did read the ode and play the last post at Friday nights game but thats about it...

There was a similar article on one of our websites from the Wallabies perspective.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/04/25/rugby-and-anzac-day-we-will-remember-them/

For me it's always a dawn service followed by heading back to the RSL with hundreds of others for a few beers and a gunfire breakfast and then, later on in the days, hours of playing two-up in a packed room where you can barely hear yourself think.

Laurie, I think there's the odd rumour floating around that the leaguies might try and tee up the ANZAC day test at Gallipoli in 2015 for the 100 year anniversary. It would be great if the union guys could get on board with it and make it a double header.

aucklandlaurie wrote: Taylorman
Yesterday morning I went to the dawn parade at the domain,along with 10,000 others, and I sang Advance Australia fare with just as much emotion as God defend New Zealand. but back to the rugby.

It struck me yesterday how little the NZRFU and the ARU do in terms of rugby on ANZAC day. I know rugby cant have an ANZAC test like league at this time of year when the players schedule is already competely jammed, sitting down yesterday afternoon to enjoy the day off,I ended up watching the Sydney Roosters V Saint George at a packed Sydney Football stadium,and then followed by the NZ warriors v Melbourne Storm,two excellant games of League.

Why couldnt one of the Super xv games involving an Australian team versus a New Zealand team be delayed from last weekend,or one brought forward from next weekend? it just seems that SANZA are missiing out on whats going on around them.
I also dont buy the excuse that its too tough on the players because they dont get a big enough break, as many players yesterday in the League games also played last Friday night in the ANZAC test at Eden Park.

They have juggled the scheduling so that the Blues vs Reds (2011 NZ & Aus franchise winners) and 'Tahs vs Crusaders (2011 franchise runners up) play this weekend, but if they worked the "bye" scheduling right it should be possible to play on the day.

Full Credit wrote:Laurie, I think there's the odd rumour floating around that the leaguies might try and tee up the ANZAC day test at Gallipoli in 2015 for the 100 year anniversary. It would be great if the union guys could get on board with it and make it a double header.

I’ve read that and the ARL are really pushing this.

I’m not particularly keen on this idea. Gallipoli and ANZAC day should be kept sacred. The game would probably be held in Istanbul at one of the football grounds, but if you were to draw a crowd of say 25,000 Aus and NZers, what would they do after this? Head to ANZAC Cove of course for the dawn service. How many people can the place hold for the dawn service? 10,000 max. Take out the dignitaries and you’re looking at fitting 25,000 into 7-8000 max. There’d be drunken idiots rioting and the whole meaning of this celebration, the sheer importance of the 100th anniversary would be lost forever.

No thanks.

chewed_mintie wrote:

Full Credit wrote:Laurie, I think there's the odd rumour floating around that the leaguies might try and tee up the ANZAC day test at Gallipoli in 2015 for the 100 year anniversary. It would be great if the union guys could get on board with it and make it a double header.

I’ve read that and the ARL are really pushing this.

I’m not particularly keen on this idea. Gallipoli and ANZAC day should be kept sacred. The game would probably be held in Istanbul at one of the football grounds, but if you were to draw a crowd of say 25,000 Aus and NZers, what would they do after this? Head to ANZAC Cove of course for the dawn service. How many people can the place hold for the dawn service? 10,000 max. Take out the dignitaries and you’re looking at fitting 25,000 into 7-8000 max. There’d be drunken idiots rioting and the whole meaning of this celebration, the sheer importance of the 100th anniversary would be lost forever.

No thanks.

Some cogent points there Mintie.

When I visited Gallipoli 3 years ago our guide commented that accommodation in the area was already pretty solidly booked for the centenary in 2015

Kiwireddevil wrote:

chewed_mintie wrote:

Full Credit wrote:Laurie, I think there's the odd rumour floating around that the leaguies might try and tee up the ANZAC day test at Gallipoli in 2015 for the 100 year anniversary. It would be great if the union guys could get on board with it and make it a double header.

I’ve read that and the ARL are really pushing this.

I’m not particularly keen on this idea. Gallipoli and ANZAC day should be kept sacred. The game would probably be held in Istanbul at one of the football grounds, but if you were to draw a crowd of say 25,000 Aus and NZers, what would they do after this? Head to ANZAC Cove of course for the dawn service. How many people can the place hold for the dawn service? 10,000 max. Take out the dignitaries and you’re looking at fitting 25,000 into 7-8000 max. There’d be drunken idiots rioting and the whole meaning of this celebration, the sheer importance of the 100th anniversary would be lost forever.

No thanks.

Some cogent points there Mintie.

When I visited Gallipoli 3 years ago our guide commented that accommodation in the area was already pretty solidly booked for the centenary in 2015

I'm yet to go KRD - waiting for my youngest to get a bit older so he can appreciate the place before we move back to NZ in a few years. However, I want to go any time other than April. I appreciate what I will miss not attending one, but I just don't want to surround myself with peed up Aussies and Kiwis.

chewed_mintie wrote:

Kiwireddevil wrote:

chewed_mintie wrote:

Full Credit wrote:Laurie, I think there's the odd rumour floating around that the leaguies might try and tee up the ANZAC day test at Gallipoli in 2015 for the 100 year anniversary. It would be great if the union guys could get on board with it and make it a double header.

I’ve read that and the ARL are really pushing this.

I’m not particularly keen on this idea. Gallipoli and ANZAC day should be kept sacred. The game would probably be held in Istanbul at one of the football grounds, but if you were to draw a crowd of say 25,000 Aus and NZers, what would they do after this? Head to ANZAC Cove of course for the dawn service. How many people can the place hold for the dawn service? 10,000 max. Take out the dignitaries and you’re looking at fitting 25,000 into 7-8000 max. There’d be drunken idiots rioting and the whole meaning of this celebration, the sheer importance of the 100th anniversary would be lost forever.

No thanks.

Some cogent points there Mintie.

When I visited Gallipoli 3 years ago our guide commented that accommodation in the area was already pretty solidly booked for the centenary in 2015

I'm yet to go KRD - waiting for my youngest to get a bit older so he can appreciate the place before we move back to NZ in a few years. However, I want to go any time other than April. I appreciate what I will miss not attending one, but I just don't want to surround myself with peed up Aussies and Kiwis.

I completely understand - I was there early April 09, just ahead of the "rush". I do want to go back one day for April 25th - but it can wait until I can afford to do it in style.

I've vowed that I will go but I don't think I'll go on ANZAC day. I'd much prefer to be there and left to my own thoughts. It's a bit like Waitangi Day and Australia Day in London. Any excuse for some. And then the cringeworthy drunken haka to put the cherry on a truly cruddy day. I think I've skipped middle age and gone straight to being a grumpy old man!

That said, I agree it'd be nice if some Super game could be coordinated with ANZAC. I know the ABs wear poppies in November tests as Armistice Day is the day of remembrance in the UK and France but something homegrown would be well recieved no doubt. It´s great to see so many Kiwis still at the dawn services. Good on you for getting out of bed early Taylorman and Laurie. Ka pai.

Why do people get so excited about two up?

The ANZACs were a class act in two world wars. It is not forgotten.

Two-up used to be played at casinos all the time in Aus but the government, in all their infinite wisdom, decided that they weren't getting enough cut of the gambling money so they banned it. These days, the only day you can legally play it in public is on Anzac day as a tribute to the diggers so I guess it's a bit of the forbidden fruit, a bit homage, a bit getting on the punt, but mainly it's a heap of fun. I'm not talking about playing it with a couple of mates at home, but playing it in a room with hundreds of people with everyone shouting their sides and bets, there's nothing better.