Which
hemisphere
is tops?
THE moment of truth approaches. Which hemisphere is tops in world rugby, northern or southern? Both are equally represented in this weekend's semi-finals.
There was a time there was no question about it – the southern hemisphere was dominant: New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Custodianship over the years of the Webb-Ellis Trophy – almost entirely by one of those three – confirmed it. The All Blacks have now held the trophy two tournaments running and are looking to make it an unprecedented third.
But things have changed in the professional era. Club rugby in the northern Six Nations – with a massive input by Kiwi, Aussie
and South African players – has lifted the game to new levels. Hence both England and Wales in the semis. Plus the All Blacks and the Boks. North versus south in each match.
England versus All Blacks – one won't make it to the final. Wales versus Boks – one won't make it to the final.
Will it be north versus north in the final? South versus south? My prediction: still north versus south. Also, the Boks will be there. Wales are an easier proposition than England and that crafty Eddie Jones.
The Boks surely have to lift their game from their performance against the Blossoms. But at least in the semis they're back against a conventional side, unlike the Blossoms.
Sunday decides it. The damsels of the Street Shelter for the Over-Forties are, as ever, strumming at their knickers in anticipation of supplying elastic for a fashioning of catapults for the time-honoured celebratory feu de joie in which the streetlights are shot out.
'Erewego, 'erewego, 'erewego!
Allegory?
A VIDEO clip doing the rounds in Florida, in the US, shows a beautiful, multi-coloured coral snake eating a rat snake while being attacked by a yellowjacket wasp.
The coral snake thrashes about wildly, either in response to a painful sting from the wasp or in an attempt to shake it off.
Just what's going on? The University of Florida online puts the question to internet users, according to Huffington Post..
What killed the rat snake? Was it dropped by a hawk? Did the coral snake kill it? Was it stung to death by the yellowjacket wasp, the coral snake opportunistically snatching a meal?
The clip has gone viral but viewers seem not to have any real idea what could have happened. This is surely a novel approach to zoological research.
A coral snake, a rat snake, a yellowjacket wasp. Could this perhaps be more than a zoological question? Could it be a commentary from the animal kingdom on human actions? An allegory of disputes such as Brexit, possible impeachment in the US or leaving the Kurds in the lurch in Syria?
Which individual actor then is the coral snake, which the rat snake and which the yellowjacket wasp in each of these different configurations? Is the coral snake Boris Johnson (or Donald Trump)? Or are they the rat snake? Is the yellowjacket wasp the news media?
It becomes a matter of deep philosophy, a drawing on the immutable wisdom of nature. The University of Florida is pushing the boundaries.
Tailpiece
HE'S in a fancy lingerie shop. He says he's looking for a lacy black bra for his wife.
"What size is she?"
"Seven-and-a-half."
"Seven-and-a-half? Where do you get a size like that?"
"I measured with my hat."
Last word
Acting is merely the art of keeping a large group of people from coughing.
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