Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Rugger? Bugger!

I've not been particularly active of late. I've not been particularly active since 1995, if the truth be told.

The last serious exercise I did was during the first week of University when Sam and I joined Ninjitsu class, only to find that it hurt and it clashed with our tea, so we never went again.

Last Thursday was the first sunny day we'd had in ages, and not wanting to miss the rays we made our way down to Rushcutters Bay, a mini-marina/harbour at the back of The Pink House, equipped with benches, a coffee shop and big grass thing.

Those present: Dave, Chris, Dan, Sean and then Jamie and Andy who were particularly pleased at finding a big rugby "H" as they were both Rugger Buggers. So whilst they spent the afternoon pretending to be Johnny Wilkinson and booting the ball left and right of the posts, the rest of us hung about and read, chatted and drunk Ribena.

I had a brief moment of physical exertion when I ran to fetch a wayward ball and hoof it back across the field, but thats as far as it went. Possibly the fastest I've moved since 1995. If it's another 12 years before I exercise again, I'll be 42.

The afternoon took a nosedive, however, when the ball went over Andy's head and into the water. Everyone gathered to look at the leather oval slowly floating away from the harbour wall towards a short-masted boat, bobbing gently in the breeze. Andy, the least clothed of all of us, took a look around. Clearly no one was keen to dive in, so he began stripping off.

Within a few moments he was in, had swam across and punted it back out on to the grass. But as the big lads hauled him out, he realised he was covered in blood. Andy had a deep cut in his foot and blood was pouring out like someone had punctured a milk carton.

In typical rugby lad style he was unfazed: "Strange" he said "Didn't feel that happen".

"That's going to need a stitch" said Jamie, who looks like a cross between Martin Clunes and Rhino from Gladiators

"Naah" said Andy using his white t-shirt to bandage up his foot, and limped back to the hostel.

The next day I was stiff from my bout of impromptu exercise. I think the application for the Sydney Marathon will have to wait.

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