By Stopsy
July 29 2013

A night out in Brazil.                                                                                                          I am lucky in my work that I get to travel around a bit, last April I was in Brazil and was mightily impressed to see large rugby banners along the highway, it transpires that the lead contractor uses rugby as a way to help keep young men on the straight and narrow.

I was even more impressed when my colleague asked whether I wanted to go and see a test match between Brazil and Mexico. So work done for the day we trotted off to the Estadio Martins Pereira. The armed police at the gates seemed a little over the top and the attendance was probably around the 5,000 mark in a stadium that would have seated 15,000. Sao Jose dos Campos in Sao Paulo state is the rugby capital of Brazil and also where I am based when I go there.

Onto the pitch came the players, the local mayor was broadly jeered at as he kicked the ball. The anthems were played and pennants exchanged, the South and Central Americans do like a good few verses of their anthems.

The game kicked off and pretty soon it was apparent that both sides would have struggled to beat Sandbach 2^nd XV. Brazil started to establish a lead of 15 – 7 at half time and eventually ran out winners by 50 – 14.

The Brazilian Fly half had the most amazing kicking routine which I will try and describe. The posts are represented by the H, place the ball and retreat about 5m from it to point a and then 2m towards the touchline to point b, all pretty standard stuff so far.

Adopt the Johnny Wilkinson crouch and count to 5.

Still in the crouch, flap your arms out slowly and bring back to the Wilkinson clasp three times.

Turn your back to the ball in a clockwise direction and run round in a curve to point c

Then run and hoof the ball.

For all the strange approach he was successful with all but 1 kick.

The people I was with enjoyed the game immensely however my limited linguistic skills meant that I missed out on most of the banter which from the reaction of those around us appeared to be highly amusing.

A great evening out and very good to see our game beginning to spread.

For pictures, see http://latinphoto.smugmug.com/keyword/martins%20pereira%20stadium#!i=2483149762&k=mTRrhnS

A Night out in Brazil

Discussion started by TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk , 29/07/2013 20:52

TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk
29/07/2013 20:52

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:08:12:22:18:12 by Tiggs.

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Tiggs
29/07/2013 20:59

Many, many thanks to Mike for the quirky article, and keeping the message board alive for you all for another 2 weeks.
So now we need another article within 2 weeks please !!

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SimW
29/07/2013 21:27

Very interesting article. Thanks.

I agree it's good to see the game spreading. If Russia ever take it seriously we're in trouble.

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Tiggs
29/07/2013 22:39

Perhaps the UK could use Rugby to keep DOR's on the straight and narrow ? Oh hang on.......

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Johns
30/07/2013 13:58

Thanks Mike,

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Duncan Keene
30/07/2013 16:07

Thanks Stopsy, would be great to see a strong Brasil team in the future.

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seventyeight
30/07/2013 17:19

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odd-shaped vagaries
03/08/2013 12:15

Hope you weren't there to liquidate the Brasilian rugby club, Stops, [as in, buy me and stop one?], but more to enjoy the Brasilian liquid

'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget

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Tigersfan1
10/08/2013 09:53

Interesting experience by the sound of it, thanks for sharing.

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Tiggs
12/08/2013 22:17

Many thanks Mike.

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SimW
13/08/2013 07:47

Only 7 people bothered to thank Mike but there were 647 views. Even accounting for multiple views and guest users there's a lot of regular users if this site benefitting from people's hard work who can't be bothered to say thank you. Very frustrating!

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Tiggs
13/08/2013 08:06

Very much so Sim !!!

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renko
13/08/2013 11:31

good stuff - I can imagine Brazilian players bringing something new to the game in terms of skill with a rugby ball!

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Yorkie
13/08/2013 22:46

Amazed the kicker was that consistent with such a strange kick approach!

Never managed to make it to Brazil. Your airmiles account must be really something Mr. S.

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