V for Victory

The England vs New Zealand All-blacks Rugby World Cup semi-final in Tokyo a couple of days ago (Saturday 26th October 2019) was one of the best matches I’ve ever seen – almost equalling the best sporting moment of my lifetime “Jonny Wilkinson kicks for World Cup glory”

And it all started with this fabulous moment – the England team came up with a worthy response to the Maori Haka. They lined up in a V which outflanked the tight triangle of the Kiwi formation. I can’t help seeing something mythical and sexual in the moment – the female shape of the V absorbs the masculine pointed triangle of the Haka. It absorbs, outflanks and negates the power of the traditional war dance. It was a great moment and foreshadowed an unprecedented Victory.

The Feminine V :: Nude Woman in a Red Armchair – Pablo Picasso (1932)

The Feminine V :: Liegende Nackte – Egon Schiele (1917)

The Feminine V :: Billabong Lovelock Skinny Biarritz bikini

I think what this all means is that we should make love not war and elect more women to our parliaments.

The Feminine V

The Masculine (big) I (am)

 

Update 30:10:19

All-black coach Steve Hansen said today that the Haka needs to be opposed and that England’s approach on Saturday was “brilliant” and “imaginative”.

The Casting Game No. 98

Liam Williams played by Ewen Bremner

Liam Williams (of East Finchley) playing for Wales against England last weekend

played by

Ewen Bremner (as Spud in Film4’s Trainspotting)

(I worked with Ewen at my 2nd job at Melrose Film Productions when he was just starting out – lovely fella)

They are both cousins of Forrest Gump

It’s all in the haircut

Coincidences No.s 322 & 323

Man With Gun. Black Panther Bobby Hutton carries a loaded shotgun in front of Oakland police station. California legislators passed a law prohibiting carrying loaded weapons in public in 1967 after Black Panther members demonstrated with loaded guns at the Capitol. Hutton was killed in a shootout with Oakland police a few months later. (Ron Riesterer/East Bay Times Staff Archives)

OAKLAND

In the morning I am working on a documentary called ‘Back in Black’ to be shot in Ghana, Morocco and Oakland CA. It is the first commission for my second slate at Little Dot Studios/Real Stories.

In the afternoon I go to Allianz Stadium, home of Saracens rugby club, to meet full back Alex Goode to discuss a media project. He is wearing a black Oakland Raiders cap.

In the evening Enfant Terrible No. 1 (who I once gave an identical Oakland Raiders cap I found on an airport bus in San Francisco) talks about Oakland in the context of the Black Panther movie.

SEAT CHANGES

I get an email from a ticket agency informing me they want to allocate me new seats for the Waterboys gig I’m going to at the end of the month at The Colosseum in Watford because one of the original seats is broken.

Within the hour I get an email from EasyJet telling me that the aircraft I am due to travel on early next month to Belfast has been changed to another aircraft with a different seating arrangement so my allocated seat is being changed.

Man With Hat

 

 

Two too

An away win at Man City, a good result for England in Rome and The Big Short winning the Best Adapted Screenplay BAFTA, it’s been a weekend of some fine wins…

My 1st visit to the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

18th Oct 2015 with N – Ireland v Argentina, quarter final Rugby World Cup – England 2015

Cardiff bound… ‪#‎Ireland‬ hope of the Northern Hemisphere ‪#‎RWC2015

Step 1: booze / chips ‪#‎Ireland‬ ‪#‎cardiff‬ ‪#‎RWC2015‬

Step 2: balls out for more beer #RWC2015 #cardiff #Ireland

Step 3: Leprechaun kit on ‪#‎Ireland‬ ‪#‎RWC2015‬

Step 4: masks on ‪#‎IRE‬ ‪#‎RWC2015‬

Step 5: join the green throng ‪#‎IRE‬ ‪#‎RWC2015‬

Bang on halfway line 6 rows from pitch unfeckinbelievable seats ‪#‎Ireland‬‪#‎RWC2015‬ ‪#‎cardiff‬

Step 6: enjoy the view ‪#‎RWC2015‬ ‪#‎IRE‬ ‪#‎cardiff‬

Step 7: drown sorrows ‪#‎IRE‬ ‪#‎RWC2015‬

Soup of the day for ‪#‎IRE‬ fans ‪#‎cardiff‬

The ‪#‎Irish‬ making the best of it – party vibe in ‪#‎cardiff‬ ‪#‎RWC2015‬

You’ve got to be philosophical ‪#‎IRE‬ ‪#‎RWC2015‬ ‪#‎leprechaun‬ wisdom

Thank you ‪#‎cardiff‬ the craic was ninety (even if the result was a bit shit)‪#‎RWC2015‬

Hiberno-Argentine relations remain undamaged ‪#‎RWC2015‬

Hiberno-Franco-Argentine relations blossom “If you’re gonna sing, come down here!” ‪#‎RWC2015‬ ‪#‎WorldInUnion‬

The Argentines are gradually converted – ‪#‎Irish‬ top, can of Guinness, Whiskey in the Jar ‪#‎RWC2015‬