Well, there is another interesting fact that on 3 occasions that a host nation would gone on to win the Rugby World Cup (But first, it was New Zealand in 1987 when we were co-hosts along with Australia to win the inaugural tournament then South Africa in 1995 (In which the late president of their country of Nelson Mandela who famously attended the game as a spectator & presented the trophy to the winning captain which was South Africa's Francois Pienaar at the post match presentation in which they united a nation by using rugby as their symbol of success) & the All Blacks again in 2011 in which we ended 24 years of heartbreak & disappointment) compared to only once on that occasion that a side has gone onto to successfully defend the William Webb Ellis trophy, & it was the AB's in 2015 (Compared to the Football World Cup that both Italy (Who won the tournament 1934 then retained it in 1938) & Brazil (Who also won the Football World Cup in 1958 then completed a successful defence in 1962) did it) & also only once has gone on to win the tournament after losing the opening game as I mentioned in my previous blogs, & that belongs to the Springboks at the most recent one in 2019 (And also compared to the Football World Cup that both Spain (Who did it in 2010 after losing to Switzerland in the opening group game by becoming the 1st European country to win a World Cup outside its home continent followed by Germany in 2014 who became the 1st European nation to win the tournament staged in the Americas) & Argentina (Who also did it last year, inspired by their triumph at Copa America in 2021 after they also lost to Saudi Arabia (Who made history as I mentioned in my previous blogs, in one of international football's biggest shocks which turned the football world upside down but it's been 3 months since the Argentinians had a successful Football World Cup glory for the 3rd time, against the defending champions at the time of France on spot kicks at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail in one of the best World Cup finals in history, their 1st since 1986 in which the late Diego Maradona (Who is Messi's childhood hero as a young kid as I mentioned in my blogs) hoisted the Football World Cup trophy aloft after their team's win against West Germany in the final at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City) in also the opening group match) did it) after beginning their campaign with defeat against New Zealand.
And how ironic that my Moroccan Jewish mate & self proclaimed Liverpool FC as well as Pink Floyd fan of Leon (Who I last saw him on the 19th of February last month (On the same day as I met both Andy & his wife Kelsey for the 1st time since 2021) & used to live in New Zealand from 1980 until 2022) proposing to his partner Michelle (Who I haven't seen her since September last year & she's now living in the UK with Leon to be close to his & her family who are living abroad) asking her to marry during the half time break at a Premier League football game during the Merseyside derby clash between Liverpool & Everton at Anfield, & she accepted the offer meaning that Leon is engaged again (He's married before but he's not now & is about to).
And back onto the rugby related stuff with so many matches to look forward to this years Super Rugby Pacific season (The last before this years global showpiece event, the Rugby World Cup which is held in France) on the weekend of the 24th to the 25th of February such as the defending 11 time champions, the Crusaders (Whose Super Rugby dominance kick started when they won their 1st title in 1998) kick start their title defence against the Chiefs (The former twice Super Rugby champions in 2012-13) in a replay of last year's semifinal at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch followed by the Waratahs (Champions of the 2014 edition of the tournament) which will celebrate the return of Fijian Nemani Nadolo as they take on Australia's best from last year which is the Brumbies (The 2004 champs) at the brand new Allianz Stadium which opened last year in Sydney then Moana Pasifika (Who are in their 2nd season since their debut last year) begin proceedings against the Fijian Drua (Who along with Moana are into their sophomore year in the competition) at the home of the Warriors NRL team at Mt Smart Stadium while the Highlanders (The 2015 Super Rugby champions who were quarterfinalists from last year) kick off their campaign against the Blues (Who are seeking redemption after the disappointment of last year when they missed out on the Super Rugby Pacific title in the final, against the dominant Crusaders side at Eden Park in Auckland right behind them) in a rematch of the quarterfinal from last year at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin before the Reds (The champions from 2011 who lost to the eventual champs, the Crusaders in the quarters) commence the season against the Hurricanes (Who haven't won a Super Rugby title since 2016 in which they went down to Australia's best, which is the Brumbies last year in the quarters) at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane & the final match of the weekend sees the Force (Their 1st season was in 2006 & remained in the competition until 2017 then they got reinstated last year when they competed in the Super Rugby Pacific competition) & the Rebels (Who have Italian international Monty Ioane, as one of the key signings which stunned Super Rugby Pacific) go at it when they kick start their campaigns at HBF Park in Perth, a week out until the Super Round set to stage again just like last year at AAMI Park in Melbourne.
And my dear cuzzie Paige (Partner of Jarrod Ahearn who I haven't seen her since 2016) has just recently given birth to her daughter named Norah meaning that she's a mother now as Pops told me on the 18th of February while Paige's mum & my biological aunty Cathey Middelplaats (Who I have not seen her since 7 years ago) is now officially a grandmother but I would also like to give a shout out to Paige so congrats for becoming a mother (xoxo, love & arohanui to you all, Whetu).
And onto motor racing related news, especially in F1 that Haas (Who have their drivers of German Nico Hulkenberg (A former A1GP ace & the only German competing in Formula 1 since the departures of Mick Schumacher (Michael's son who just joined McLaren from Haas as their test & reserve driver after originally being named as a test & reserve driver for Mercedes who he is under contract with now) & the recently retired 4 time world champion Sebastian Vettel) & Denmark's Kevin 'K-Mag' Magnussen (Son of famous driver Jan) was the 1st to launch their new car for this years season while Alpine (It is an all French pairing of both Esteban Ocon (Who raced for the team since returning to F1 in 2020 under the name Renault, a year before their rebranding to Alpine) & Pierre Gasly who recently joined from Alphatauri to replace the twice F1 world champion Fernando Alonso who has gone to Aston Martin) was the last to launch their 2023 car but the reigning constructors champions Red Bull are in fact going to be slow after copping a penalty for breaches regarding to the cost cap when their driver Max Verstappen went on to win his 1st world championship in 2021 with both Ferrari & Mercedes now genuine contenders in their bid of winning the constructors championship, thinking that these cars might just be quick enough (And I am making a comparison to the different eras of Formula 1 starting with F1 in the 1960's was known as the Grand Prix Legends (The computer game that I never played was arguably the best) era compared to the 1970's was known as the Rush era (I've seen the movie about it) as well as in the late 80's to mid 90's which was known as the golden era (Where V12 engines where used from 1989 until 1995) while the Schumi era takes place during the late 80's to mid noughties period (That was the V10 engines being used way back then from 1989 until 2006) before the modern era took place in the mid noughties to mid 2010's period (V8 engines were used back then from 2006 until 2013) & now, they have the silent era which had taken place since the mid 2010's (And it was during the V6 turbo hybrid in which they are currently adapting from 2014 & has been there ever since).
And finally a shout out to Dad & Raewyn out there celebrating their 4 year wedding anniversary that they had last month on the 16th of February where they got married in 2019, a week before Carole's son Andy as well as John & Rhonda's daughter Kelsey (My 1st ever meeting between both of them was in 2019 in the 1st of 2 meetings then 2020 & in 2021, 2 years before I met both of them most recently) had their marriage on the 23rd & is about to also celebrate their 4 year wedding anniversary on that day while Carole & Pops attended both weddings, the 1st one was Dad & Raewyn where I went then the 2nd one was AJ & Kels.
So that is my 488th blog of the year 2023 (MMXXIII) & my 12th of this year, viva Ukraine.
P.S. And it's been an emotional but sombre year since the high profile rock star drummer of the late Taylor Hawkins from the legendary rock band the Foo Fighters (Which is my 2nd favourite rock band ahead of Linkin Park (Who are still on hiatus since 2017 after their lead singer Chester Bennington passed away (Along with his good mate Chris Cornell of both Soundgarden & Audioslave), but I've been listening to the album that I got of Meteora (One of 2 Linkin Park albums that I own along with the 20th anniversary edition of Hybrid Theory) in its entirety, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the album's release), but behind the Red Hot Chili Peppers (One of the band members of Chad Smith (The most important member of the Chilis along with bassist Flea compared to lead singer & rhythm guitarist Dave Grohl & the late Hawkins as also the most important members of the Foos then the late Chester Bennington & Mike Shinoda being the most important band members from my favourite Nu Metal band Linkin Park as well as also both Mark Hoppus & Travis Barker also being the most important band members of Blink-182 & also Chad Kroeger & Ryan Peake also being the most important band members of one of my favourite Canadian rock bands of Nickelback) is good mates with the late Taylor Hawkins as well) who took his own life in a hotel room in Colombia during the band's South American tour so I have been listening to them on my CD player (I've got 5 Foo Fighters albums now such as The Colour & The Shape, Greatest Hits, Wasting Light, Medicine At Midnight & now But Here We Are) including songs that Hawkins was involved in like Learn To Fly, Breakout, All My Life, Times Like These, Best Of You, The Pretender, Rope, Walk, Shame Shame & Waiting On A War as well as Everlong, the last song that the band played live before Hawkins passed away, in honor of the great humble man whose life had been taken away too soon at 49 or 50 (And the Foos (Who are less popular than Nirvana that the current lead singer of the Foos of Dave Grohl (Who used to be a drummer before forming his own band) had been involved in after the tragic loss of Kurt Cobain in 1994) are hoping to resume making & playing live music following Hawkins's death last year, but the band are currently searching for their new drummer to replace him (And it looks like that the son of Queen drummer Roger Taylor of current drummer for the UK rock band the Darkness of Rufus who is in line of joining the Foos to replace his godfather, the late Taylor Hawkins because he knows all of his stuff, but the session drummer of Josh Freese (Who performed at the Taylor Hawkins tribute show in London only along with Rufus Taylor who peformed in both London & Los Angeles while Matt Cameron performed it in LA only) is among the contenders to take over from Hawkins of joining that band (And it looks like that former Soundgarden & current Pearl Jam drummer of Matt Cameron is among those of joining the Foo Fighters but denies rumours about it).
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