Howzit-HongKong.com’s frustration with the rugby coverage lack of rugby coverage this side of the noodle-curtain should be well documented and understood, I dare say.
Our pals over at The Canny Man, the only, bestest Sottish pub in Hongkie Town just alerted us to this advertisement seen somewhere in the SAR media.
Could this indeed be the start of a “Hallelujah Year” for rugby fans in the City?
Only time would tell. At the time of writing, both the powers-that-be at The Canny Man and Howzit-HongKong Mission Control were unable to reach the telephone number stated in the follwoing advert:
Please try this phone number and if you succeed in getting through, or if you have any information, PLEASE drop us a line, will ya?!
The Canny Man‘s posters all read “An oasis in WanChai” but I personally like the one I saw on a video today:
“A football-free zone.”
OK, so South Africa just recently hosted a very successful football World Cup but man… a month of football is probably as much football as I can take! Truth be told, I’ve probably seen enough round-ball “action” to last me till the next World Cup. Which is probably a good thing, what with the RUGBY WORLD CUP in Zealand looming in 2011.
I am currently teaching a bridging course for new Secondary 1 students in Lok Fu and one of my colleagues is none other than the former Hong Kong rugby captain Semi Iafeta. Apologies to Semi, but I didn’t recognise him until I did a bit of “research” online today. However, in my defense Semi, your hair used to be a lot longer! Like most international rugby boys here in Hong Kong, Semi Iafeta is a semi-professional who makes his living teaching in Hong Kong.
Semi Iafeta with ball in hand, playing for Hong Kong
It seems that the big Number 8 is also quite the video producer, having produced the video about The Canny Man I mentioned earlier:
My pal Kevin over at the Canny Man loves his footy.
His establishment, in the basement of the Wharney Guandong Hotel in Wan Chai is also one of the local watering holes that stock our very own Castle Lager Beer.
If you haven’t heard, or if you’ve been locked up by the PLA at their headquarters on Hong Kong Island for the last 2 weeks, South Africa’s Bafana Bafana national team plays France in a crunch-match in Port Elizabeth tonight. (Tuesday June 22, 10pm)
Bafana Bafana (or The Boys) has to win this game convincingly and hope that the other game between Mexico and Uruguay also go their way, in order for them to stay in the tournament. If not (and it’s a very possible NOT) the South African team will become the first-ever host nation to be eliminated in the first round of a World Cup.
Back to Wan Chai. The Canny Man is offering a free Castle Lager if you join them for the game (kick-off 10pm). They will also be giving away bottles of Rooiberg Brut sparkling wine whenever Bafana Bafana scores. If not they will raffle it.
Contact Kevin or any of the staff at The Canny Man on 2861 1935 to book a table. Directions to The Canny Man can be found here
