It was a great night with a great result. As the texts revealed afterwards English men and women all over the world listened or watched in disbelief, disappointment, growing hope and the wonderment. In sporting terms this was Dunkirk turned into victory.
Four years ago, Sir Clive, as he became, Woodward had created a settled winning side whose names had become known across the Rugby world. Winning the world cup became a strong possibility although whatever the result it was expected to be tight. One of the most iconic moments in all of British sporting history is the drop goal by Johnny Wilkinson in the final seconds has been replayed more than the famous moment in 1966 when the later Kenneth Wolstenholm uttered those immortal words, "they think it is all over, it is now," as the final goal sealed the victory.
The last four years has seen Johnny Wilkinson injured, recovering and never getting back to the phenomenal kicking ability which culminated in that glorious matching winning moment. He has however scored more points in World Cup Football than anyone else and his place in the cup squad offered a little hope after a Team in the process of rebuilding following a series of defeats and failures to come close to being champions again. It was all reminiscent of the Football world cup win forty year ago. When England crashed to South Africa 36.0 in the preliminary phase of the competition it was possible to get a bet on an English cup victory of 66 to 1. What price now?
The game against Australia could have been a one off, but the feeling was of another gruelling victory when we scored a try within seconds of the start, the quickest ever, the dream was underway, Still cautious we were gripped with feat as the French fought back with vigour and slowly took the lead, although this would not have been so if Johnny had succeeded in three opportunities to kick a goal, two most difficult. So the game drew to a close, and tense well there is tense and then again there is tense, but this was tense as we still believed in the dream, for once in a lifetime, if we are among the fortunate, we live the dream, and so it was. First the French were about to score a try which would have put the game out of reach hen stand in Joe Worsley, remember that name, stopped them win inches by one of those tackles that are only written about in Boy's own books, and then with five minutes to go, a penalty was awarded because of a high tackle on Jason Robinson and Wilkinson had a kick again to take the lead and of course we knew he would not fail, did we not? Didn't we? And he did not and then well there was an instant opportunity for a drop kick, but he seemed to move away, or so the commentator thought no he realised he was just getting into a better position and it happened again, the lightening striking twice I mean, he kicked that dropped goal again and now the French had to score a try and convert to win for we 14 points and we were 9.That was the measure of those two kicks and the commentator could no longer contain his delight bordering on ecstasy, and for a moment I thought he would say they think it is all over, now it is, but if he thought them, he kept his counsel because the French were not done and pressed back as if their national honour was at stake, well it was you see, but our men with their backs to wall as we need to be to bring out our best, stood firm in what appeared to be interminable minutes but were in fact only seconds, and that whistle came, and it was done, we had won.
But this is only the semi final, but by King Harry and St George, a any English person who was not there or does not understand will curse their ill fortunate for ever more. And it is just a week for the third and final part of this fantasy made into reality, along with Lewis Hamilton's an attempt to become world captainship driver and with Sunderland and Newcastle both on TV on the Sunday and the Monday it promises to be a weekend to remember.
So how did you celebrate will my experience was unique, of that I am certain, because it was just before ten that I remembered I had forgotten to get the first two parts of a 19 DVD series about the first world war given with the Mail. Now on Saturday the supermarkets close at 10 pm so they were out so it was likely to be a garage. It was two minutes past ten when I decided not to stop at Azda and while there was every other paper at the garage by Mabel's former residential home, there was no mail, and the garage on the way to Cleadon village did not have papers and that in the village was closed so I decided one last try at the end of the A1M, and there were two copies and I only needed one and a small bar of chocolate and one of two custard creams.
So to day was destined to be anti climax especially after getting up with the dawn and making ready for the new cooker and then the phone call calling it off, so I spent the day with rubbish TV as a consolation and over eating and drinking, mostly water though as this morning I had two bacon rolls in baked onion and cheese topped rolls, and this afternoon half a piece of gammon joint £1.25p worth with potatoes and corn and a deep sleep in between the most awful film about sport and football ever called The Arsenal Stadium Murders made in 1940's although the film had a significance for me because it was as I remembered going to the ground in the late 1940's with the uncovered standing terraces at either end when I stood with an uncle to watch Stanley Matthews in a 4.4 draw, which then reminded of the day I watched Sir Donald Bradman come to the wicket and return being out first ball in his last innings in his last Test match in England. With regard to the film which featured a special charity match between the Gunners now called the Gooners and an ammeter team one of whom dies poisoned on the pitch it should be compulsory viewing for all professional footballers and their wives as to why they should thank their talent and lucky stars. . Several Arsenal stars played for the home side and Brentford players doubled for the amateurs on the pitch and this was the last arranged fixture before the outbreak of World War II. The investigating police inspector has a penchant for funny hats and for theatricals in which his colleagues dress up in tutus
After the sleep I watched a beautifully photographed medieval family fantasy Ladyhawke in which Michele Feiffer played the cursed love destined to be only a Hawk in the presence of her lover until the curse is lifted with the help of Matthew Brodericke and Leo Mckern. I had watched the film before and therefore that I was still full of sleep helped my anticlimactic recovery.
Passing thought I did say Gordon needed several miracles and a faultless personal performance from now if he and his political party are to recover. A Rugby World Cup plus Lewis Hamilton and Formula One driver could be the start.
And thus the day commenced to peter out until in the evening there was Michael Plain had been in the Baltic states and the Russian Naval outpost country 16 of his European tour so far.
Followed by the discovery of another Dylan evening of homage to him and to folk music. Some I had seen before I am not sure about composite black and white film of thee Newport Folk Festival 1963 1966, which I viewed twice featuring the folk side (after the Jazz on a Summers Day film which I had seen in 1960 on the day after the end of the prison experience.
Among those appearing with Bob Dylan where I had been listening recently to a two disc set, so it was good to see and well has hear versions of` Blowing in the Wind, The Times they are a changing, Its all over now Baby Blue, Like a Rolling Stone Maggie's Farm some in the later programme on his first England visit, also Joan Baez with Peter? Yarrow doing a comic number and then being herself Oh my trials lord soon be over and that tingling excitement came back as it always does for voice which could make the phone book sound revelatory truths and Peter Paul and Mary (If I had a hammer, sung for hours walking from Liverpool to Hull) and Blowing in the wind and the times they are changing, the Blue Ridge Mountain Dancers which reminded me of Irish Dancing, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, there is a time, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, ( I woke up this morning) encountered on a day long river boat trip down the Thames to Margaret Buffy St Marie, (I have four of her DVD's because she is amazing and unrecognised I suspect because of her American Indian origin.
Donovan with his banned from BBC song, Howling Wolf and thirty to forty others Spider John Koeg I liked, and Mississippi John Hurt with Candy Man, the Staple Singers. The Freedom Singers. and in London on the recovery of his TV Madhouse programme appearance in the mid sixties ice bound London with an except from Acker Bilk having returned from the US with Stranger of Shore success, followed by Pete Seager, (Green Corn Eugene McCall who married Peggy Seager. With Odetta in Rome who is also in the later Newport film with a deep voice
Four years ago, Sir Clive, as he became, Woodward had created a settled winning side whose names had become known across the Rugby world. Winning the world cup became a strong possibility although whatever the result it was expected to be tight. One of the most iconic moments in all of British sporting history is the drop goal by Johnny Wilkinson in the final seconds has been replayed more than the famous moment in 1966 when the later Kenneth Wolstenholm uttered those immortal words, "they think it is all over, it is now," as the final goal sealed the victory.
The last four years has seen Johnny Wilkinson injured, recovering and never getting back to the phenomenal kicking ability which culminated in that glorious matching winning moment. He has however scored more points in World Cup Football than anyone else and his place in the cup squad offered a little hope after a Team in the process of rebuilding following a series of defeats and failures to come close to being champions again. It was all reminiscent of the Football world cup win forty year ago. When England crashed to South Africa 36.0 in the preliminary phase of the competition it was possible to get a bet on an English cup victory of 66 to 1. What price now?
The game against Australia could have been a one off, but the feeling was of another gruelling victory when we scored a try within seconds of the start, the quickest ever, the dream was underway, Still cautious we were gripped with feat as the French fought back with vigour and slowly took the lead, although this would not have been so if Johnny had succeeded in three opportunities to kick a goal, two most difficult. So the game drew to a close, and tense well there is tense and then again there is tense, but this was tense as we still believed in the dream, for once in a lifetime, if we are among the fortunate, we live the dream, and so it was. First the French were about to score a try which would have put the game out of reach hen stand in Joe Worsley, remember that name, stopped them win inches by one of those tackles that are only written about in Boy's own books, and then with five minutes to go, a penalty was awarded because of a high tackle on Jason Robinson and Wilkinson had a kick again to take the lead and of course we knew he would not fail, did we not? Didn't we? And he did not and then well there was an instant opportunity for a drop kick, but he seemed to move away, or so the commentator thought no he realised he was just getting into a better position and it happened again, the lightening striking twice I mean, he kicked that dropped goal again and now the French had to score a try and convert to win for we 14 points and we were 9.That was the measure of those two kicks and the commentator could no longer contain his delight bordering on ecstasy, and for a moment I thought he would say they think it is all over, now it is, but if he thought them, he kept his counsel because the French were not done and pressed back as if their national honour was at stake, well it was you see, but our men with their backs to wall as we need to be to bring out our best, stood firm in what appeared to be interminable minutes but were in fact only seconds, and that whistle came, and it was done, we had won.
But this is only the semi final, but by King Harry and St George, a any English person who was not there or does not understand will curse their ill fortunate for ever more. And it is just a week for the third and final part of this fantasy made into reality, along with Lewis Hamilton's an attempt to become world captainship driver and with Sunderland and Newcastle both on TV on the Sunday and the Monday it promises to be a weekend to remember.
So how did you celebrate will my experience was unique, of that I am certain, because it was just before ten that I remembered I had forgotten to get the first two parts of a 19 DVD series about the first world war given with the Mail. Now on Saturday the supermarkets close at 10 pm so they were out so it was likely to be a garage. It was two minutes past ten when I decided not to stop at Azda and while there was every other paper at the garage by Mabel's former residential home, there was no mail, and the garage on the way to Cleadon village did not have papers and that in the village was closed so I decided one last try at the end of the A1M, and there were two copies and I only needed one and a small bar of chocolate and one of two custard creams.
So to day was destined to be anti climax especially after getting up with the dawn and making ready for the new cooker and then the phone call calling it off, so I spent the day with rubbish TV as a consolation and over eating and drinking, mostly water though as this morning I had two bacon rolls in baked onion and cheese topped rolls, and this afternoon half a piece of gammon joint £1.25p worth with potatoes and corn and a deep sleep in between the most awful film about sport and football ever called The Arsenal Stadium Murders made in 1940's although the film had a significance for me because it was as I remembered going to the ground in the late 1940's with the uncovered standing terraces at either end when I stood with an uncle to watch Stanley Matthews in a 4.4 draw, which then reminded of the day I watched Sir Donald Bradman come to the wicket and return being out first ball in his last innings in his last Test match in England. With regard to the film which featured a special charity match between the Gunners now called the Gooners and an ammeter team one of whom dies poisoned on the pitch it should be compulsory viewing for all professional footballers and their wives as to why they should thank their talent and lucky stars. . Several Arsenal stars played for the home side and Brentford players doubled for the amateurs on the pitch and this was the last arranged fixture before the outbreak of World War II. The investigating police inspector has a penchant for funny hats and for theatricals in which his colleagues dress up in tutus
After the sleep I watched a beautifully photographed medieval family fantasy Ladyhawke in which Michele Feiffer played the cursed love destined to be only a Hawk in the presence of her lover until the curse is lifted with the help of Matthew Brodericke and Leo Mckern. I had watched the film before and therefore that I was still full of sleep helped my anticlimactic recovery.
Passing thought I did say Gordon needed several miracles and a faultless personal performance from now if he and his political party are to recover. A Rugby World Cup plus Lewis Hamilton and Formula One driver could be the start.
And thus the day commenced to peter out until in the evening there was Michael Plain had been in the Baltic states and the Russian Naval outpost country 16 of his European tour so far.
Followed by the discovery of another Dylan evening of homage to him and to folk music. Some I had seen before I am not sure about composite black and white film of thee Newport Folk Festival 1963 1966, which I viewed twice featuring the folk side (after the Jazz on a Summers Day film which I had seen in 1960 on the day after the end of the prison experience.
Among those appearing with Bob Dylan where I had been listening recently to a two disc set, so it was good to see and well has hear versions of` Blowing in the Wind, The Times they are a changing, Its all over now Baby Blue, Like a Rolling Stone Maggie's Farm some in the later programme on his first England visit, also Joan Baez with Peter? Yarrow doing a comic number and then being herself Oh my trials lord soon be over and that tingling excitement came back as it always does for voice which could make the phone book sound revelatory truths and Peter Paul and Mary (If I had a hammer, sung for hours walking from Liverpool to Hull) and Blowing in the wind and the times they are changing, the Blue Ridge Mountain Dancers which reminded me of Irish Dancing, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, there is a time, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, ( I woke up this morning) encountered on a day long river boat trip down the Thames to Margaret Buffy St Marie, (I have four of her DVD's because she is amazing and unrecognised I suspect because of her American Indian origin.
Donovan with his banned from BBC song, Howling Wolf and thirty to forty others Spider John Koeg I liked, and Mississippi John Hurt with Candy Man, the Staple Singers. The Freedom Singers. and in London on the recovery of his TV Madhouse programme appearance in the mid sixties ice bound London with an except from Acker Bilk having returned from the US with Stranger of Shore success, followed by Pete Seager, (Green Corn Eugene McCall who married Peggy Seager. With Odetta in Rome who is also in the later Newport film with a deep voice
No comments:
Post a Comment