From MemoryArchive
Who: Kurt Hansen
What: Tsunami Relief Rugby Game
When: Spring 2005
Where: London
While studying abroad in
London, last spring semester, I had the great fortune of taking in some world class
rugby. Although I was able to attend some local London club matches, the pinnacle of my rugby experience came when international rugby stars came together for the
Tsunami relief effort. Staged at
Twickenham, the English national rugby pitch, the
Northern Hemisphere stars battled the
Southern Hemisphere stars. It was great because these were legitimate rugby stars. The starting lineups included legends such as, Lawrence Dallaglio, Fabien Pelous, Brian O’Driscoll, Chris Latham, and of course Ifereimi Rawaqa. The attendance was over 40,000 strong and all proceeds went to the recovery effort. The action was great as the scores went back and forth, the Southern Hemisphere squad won. The only odd bit came during a lull in the action when the crowd participated in the
wave around the stadium, I respectfully declined to participate because I thought the act was in bad taste, however incredibly hilarious and ironic. So I saw some top drawer rugby and helped those affected by the Tsunami, all in all it was the dog’s bollocks.
