It’s a small world at RWC

GISBORNE CONNECTION: Gisbornites (from left) Chris Hampson, Ashleigh Blair, Kevin Ford and Stu Blair take in London’s vast Olympic Stadium before the All Blacks Rugby World Cup match against Namibia. Picture supplied

GISBORNE’S Stu Blair reports in after attending the All Blacks-versus-Namibia match at the Olympic Stadium on Friday. Stu is currently in Wales and said he composed his second Gisborne Herald Rugby World Cup (RWC) report while “my brain is mush”. The OBM coach and former Marist player has been celebrating with the Welsh after their victory over the old enemy at Twickenham. He sent this to Herald reporter Wynsley Wrigley.“HI guys, it’s a crazy week after leaving beautiful Croatia and arriving in a cold and dreary London,’’ writes Stu Blair.

But it has not taken long for his spirits to lift.

Stu found himself staying with former Marist team mate Chris Hampson and his wife Carrie in London.

When it came to game day the two Marist men met another Gisborne teammate, Kevin Ford, and the three men carried out a pre-match inspection — as you do — of the bars in the vicinity of the test venue.

“You could have been in New Zealand! “Kiwis everywhere in the huge mall next to the ground.

“You couldn’t walk five steps without bumping into an All Blacks jersey.

“I sat down to eat and was joined by a Dunedin couple and discovered he was from Gisborne.

“His brothers were Doug and “The Wiz” Walsh — what a small world.”

There were other connections to Gisborne.

In a bar the three men met Blair’s niece Ashleigh, Peter Dodge and Ngatapa man Steven Thompson and his girlfriend Nicole Richards.

Blair said the bar had a great atmosphere, with “a sea of black jerseys” and everyone drinking the product of a prominent RWC sponsor.

He described London’s Olympic Stadium as a fantastic venue, easy to gain access to and with a great view from every seat.

‘‘We had a huge night and were feeling rather poorly on the train to Cardiff.”

Blair and “Fordy” are currently staying at the flat of Glyn “Tots” Heylun at Aberaeron, a “beautiful coastal village’’.

Heylun, on a trip to New Zealand, played for Gisborne Marist and stayed at Stu’s home.

Stu has also met up with Huw Rees Evans, who, on his trip down under, played for Marist and Poverty Bay.

A highlight for Stu has been a visit to Aberystwyth RFC, where he played in the 1984-1985 season.

‘‘It was very nostalgic to return and catch up with old teammates.

“We watched the Wales-versus-England game in a packed clubhouse, which went crazy at fulltime.’’

Stu and Fordy are spending the next few days meeting up with friends, playing golf, sailing the Irish Sea and “drinking a few pints’’.

Next on their itinerary its back to Cardiff on Thursday for two RWC matches — Wales versus Fiji and All Blacks up against Georgia.