Tag: cape town stadium

8-Nations Final

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I took the boy wonder to the Stadium last night to watch the final of the U20 8 Nations tournament. He’s still young and restless, so although there were two games on yesterday, we aimed to get down there just in time for the second one – Brazil v Argentina. However, due to the lack of traffic, combined with the 1-1 scoreline in the 3rd place game, we got there just in time to see the penalty shootout between South Africa and Japan. Amajita triumphed 7-6, which not only gave Alex the chance to cheer a bit, but also allowed us both to see a ball hitting the back of a net.

Which was nice.

  Second Half Game Over

Using the power of the doughnut, we made it safely through 90 minutes of the South American giants slugging it out using the “couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo” style of play. All the typical elements of Latin American soccer were present: flamboyant diving, flamboyant petulance and flamboyant shooting well wide of the target. If these players represent the future of the beautiful game, it’s all going (further) downhill fast.

At 90 minutes, with a delayed kick off and the prospect of another half hour of rubbish, we headed home, spotting the ISS as we left the stadium precinct. Brazil went on to win the game 2-0 aet, but having to carry an exhausted boy back to the car, I feel that we made the correct decision to leave after normal time.

13,000 turned out for the final, but the publicity for the tournament has been much criticised and the attendances have been poor. Nevertheless, we’re going to do it all again in 2014.

Danger From Above!

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Page 4 of today’s Cape Times warns of dangers from above which may threaten your safety in and around the Mother City.

First up is the hot air balloon crash at Beyerskloof vineyards in the Cape Winelands on Saturday – witnessed by none other than Beyerskloof supremo Beyers Truter:

The Civil Aviation Authority is investigating why a private hot air balloon drifted into power cables on a local wine estate at the weekend.
Two women were seriously injured in the incident. Louise Vorster, 57, and Sanet Koster, 50, both from Melkbosstrand, are recovering at Stellenbosch Mediclinic. A third woman, Marie Jacobs, 50, from Johannesburg, sustained minor injuries along with the pilot Justin Fowler.

According to a weekend newspaper, Beyerskloof wine estate owner Beyers Truter and one of his staff were walking in the vineyards when they witnessed the incident around 7.30-8am.
Truter said he called Netcare 911 emergency service after seeing sparks and flames from the electrical cables, which surrounded the balloon.

The estate was without electricity for an hour after the incident.

There is no word there or whether any of the vines were damaged. I’m trying desperately to get comment from the vineyard before my Mum reads this and fears the worst.

And then the much sensationalised and leapt upon story of the day, the fact that some bolts are “failing” on the roof of the Cape Town Stadium (see here)

Sections of the roof of Cape Town Stadium appear to be coming loose thanks to “bolt failure”, and the city says it is to spend R1 million to investigate what’s causing it.
A few bolts in the stadium roof were found to have failed during routine inspections a year ago. The roof was designed to withstand strong south-easters.

But the city has guaranteed the stadium’s safety and intends to recover the costs from the party responsible.

OMG! Coming loose! A few bolts! Routine inspections! A year ago! 

But a million Rand is a lot of money, as someone pointed out:

Councillor Yagyah Adams of the Cape Muslim Congress, who attended a finance portfolio committee meeting which discussed the matter, asked why the city would spend as much as R1m.

“If we’re paying R1m just to investigate, what about the repairs?” asked Adams.

Well, the city will recover the costs from the party responsible. They should have mentioned that at the meeting you attended. Or maybe you just should have listened while you were there, Yagyah.

Ironically, these “few bolts” are being cited as another reason why WPRU shouldn’t move to the new stadium, but hey – at least things at Green Point are still “under guarantee”. The same is probably true of Durban’s Stadium Skycar which broke down last weekend due to “a valve malfunction, leading to a loss of oil and hydraulic pressure” !!!!1!! OMG! again!

Conveniently, no-one can remember if there were any teething problems at Newlands, since the ground was built in the late 1880’s, prior to the advent of sensationalist media and modern stadium evacuation procedures.

Red Hot Chili Peppers in South Africa in 2013

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Yes, apparently this time the rumours might be true: The Red Hot Chili Peppers are set to tour South Africa (ie. visit Joburg and Cape Town) in 2013.

We’ve all heard that the Chilis will be playing in South Africa in 2010 before the World Cup and in 2010 after the World Cup and that they also are playing in South Africa in 2011 and, of course, who could forget those several times in 2012 that the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be playing in South Africa?

However, this new information (much like all the other information), which pushes the potential concerts back still further to 2013 comes (apparently, allegedly) straight from the horse’s mouth. And the particular equine in question is Attie van Wyk, founder of Big Concerts. This demonstrates the sheer desperation of the social media music scene in getting very excited about a band whose biggest hits wowed us just 21 years ago who may or may not play a concert which may or may not be happening in South Africa in the next 23½ months.

If the tour does happen, they will be supported (ever so ably, I’m sure) by The Parlotones. Tickets – to our great surprise and annoyance – will be available from Computicket, whose website – to our great surprise and annoyance – will crash on the morning that sales open.
The concerts will be well attended, the beer will run out after 20 minutes and the sound at the Cape Town Stadium will be a bit crap.

See you there!

Your Parenting Weekend: Sorted

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I know that much has been said about the Green Point Urban Park childrens’ play areas by other notable Cape Town blogs, but we hadn’t actually test driven it with the kids until yesterday. Suffice to say that we’ll be going back.

If you’re a parent of young kids and you haven’t been there yet, you’re missing out. We were there between 5:30 and 7pm yesterday evening (it’s open 7am to 7pm) and had to physically tear the kids away from the place. And while there were families around, it was serene and peaceful there yesterday (aside from Alex splitting his toe open and the associated noise), I can only begin to imagine how packed it is going to be during the upcoming holidays *shudder*.

 

Something else which is going to be busy and fun is the Newlands VWS Open Day on Saturday. Now look, I’m telling you about this because it was an amazing experience for my boy last year, but I don’t want you all to turn up, otherwise it’ll just be rubbish. Apart from all the usual fire engines, helicopters and big hoses (careful now), there are snake shows, stall and competitions:

09:00: Gates open
10:15: Snake show
11:00: Firefighting display and chopper drop
13:15: Snake show (repeat)
14:00: Best-dressed firefighter competition
14:00: Firefighting display and chopper drop (repeat)
16:00: Gates close

I can highly recommend it.

 

And then to complete your parenting weekend plans, how about a visit to the magnificent Cape Town Stadium for the Ajax Cape Town vs Bloemfontein Celtic match on Sunday? Gates open at 1pm and kick off is at 3:30pm.

Ajax are once again making this one of their Family Fun Days, with jumping castles, fussball, face-painting and entertainment for everyone. I want you all to turn up (this includes the Ajax strikers), otherwise it’ll just be rubbish.

Add these events to the School PTA Fun Day and a braai from 3pm on Saturday and I’ll be glad to get back to work on Monday for a nice break. (Just kidding boss! hehehehe.)

*cough*

Nice work, Toby

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There’s a Media Statement on Saracens website:

Now that all discussions between various stakeholders have been concluded, Saracens has decided the Heineken Cup match against Biarritz on Saturday January 14th will be played not in Cape Town, but in London.

The innovative English champion club was eager to host the first Heineken Cup match ever played outside Europe, to stage a special, spectacular rugby event and to project brilliant images of Cape Town and European rugby around the world. However, we have no wish to be a catalyst for conflict between the City of Cape Town and the Western Province Rugby Union.

Well, they’ve got a whole different image of Cape Town now, thanks to the WPRU.
You may have read my initial thoughts on this here.

Funny, isn’t it? Because Toby Titus, President of the WPRU said that the reasons behind their decision:

once again shows loyalty to its suite holders and fans who regularly attend matches at Newlands

Those same fans that won’t have any chance of seeing a top class European rugby game now. Because Saracens don’t want to play at Newlands. They wanted to play at the Cape Town Stadium. That’s why they applied to play at the Cape Town Stadium.

Is any of this becoming any clear to you yet, Toby?

Evidently not. Here’s Toby again:

The WPRU wholeheartedly embraces the idea of Cape Town attracting international matches and looks forward to hosting other high profile matches at Newlands.

Nope. Saracens have cancelled and Cape Town – and for Cape Town, you can read Newlands – is only getting one crappy Argentina test next year. No Australia, no New Zealand, none of the three England matches. Those are all going to World Cup stadiums in other parts of the country. It looks like England will be playing one of their tests in Nelspruit, for goodness sake. Nelspruit! Why? Because they have a decent stadium and an accommodating rugby Union. Two things missing in the Newlands/WPRU equation.

And who’s whining about that decision? Its Toby!

PE got the All Black Test this year, and the Sevens tournament, and now an England Test. It is an unfair distribution.
Cape Town didn’t have a Test this year, and we accepted that. What is the reason that Cape Town didn’t qualify for an Australian or England Test, or the All Blacks?

What about the people in Cape Town and the Western Cape? We have the best attendances at our matches. It’s not just about Western Province, but all the people of the Western Cape.

Ah yes, the people in Cape Town and the Western Cape, whose interests you have served so well lately.

Cry me a river, Toby, and then read this line quoted just below your whinging:

WPRU’s reluctance to utilise the purpose-built Cape Town Stadium and the manner in which it dealt with Saracens request to use Cape Town Stadium may have hindered their chances and hurt their case to bring top quality rugby to the people of the Western Cape.

Hello? McFly?

No? Still nothing? Never mind. We’ll keep trying, Toby.
Someday, the blinkers are going to have to come off and then there’ll be a whole real world for you to take in. When that moment comes, we’ll be here to help.