First rugby match... back in action

Well, I was really looking forward to our first rugby match yesterday.

TO START - Originally, we were supposed to meet at Waterloo at 11:40 to catch the train. I had to make a stop on the way so I had left at 11, but then I received a text message that we didn't need to be there until 12. But it seemed stupid to turn around so I walked around aimlessly for an extra 40 minutes until it was time to leave.

THEN - when I did get to Waterloo, the news came out that we only had 12 players (rugby teams need 15 a side), and only 5 forwards (the scrum, which consists of forwards, needs 8). But Katy and Kim had worked it out and Royal Halloway said they would match our numbers and still play us competitively.

THEN - I bought tickets to Egham, which costs 10 quid.

THEN - On the train, Kim gets a call from Royal Halloway's coach saying that they would play us, but not competitively. Meaning that we would forfeit but they would play us anyway. But Kim protested, saying she had worked it out with the captain who had promised we would play competitively at matched numbers. The coach said we'd talk about it when we arrived at the pitch. But Kim said, "no, we don't want to play if it's not competitively and risk injuries. Tell us now." He said he would call us back.

THEN - He didn't call back. We arrive at Egham and get into the cabs to take us to the pitch. *See later for awesome story about cabbie* We get to a pitch but there wasn't anyone there but some random guy kicking the ball around. Turns out we went to the wrong pitch. After paying for cabs.

THEN - We had to walk "up the road" (read: 1.5 miles) to the REAL pitch. Which turns out to be a giant puddle. Kim and Katy talk to the captain and they agree to match us numbers +1 (12 v 13) competitively, with only the tight five in the scrum. We agree.

THEN - Nas, one of our substitute props (front row), gets injured and can't continue. We try to put Nina (normally #8 - the back of the scrum) in at prop, but can't get it right. So I go in at prop, leaving Nina and Hannah at second row (neither of them normally play second row - Hannah is usually a back!). We end up having uncontested scrums because the ref was uncomfortable with an inexperienced first row (aka me).

FINALLY - We lost. 14-0. We spent all of 3 minutes in their end of the pitch. Sigh.

But, on a happier note: the cab driver. We get in the cab and he starts waffling on about various things. He offers us all biscuits. We drive by a woman and he says he's seen her naked, because some guy he used to drive around took pictures of her and showed him. He said she looked pretty good for having had three kids. Then he told us about how a Greek girl couldn't pronounce London. Then he took the piss out of the Americans in the car (me and Ricki). He was brilliant. We were happy when we got him AGAIN when we took a cab back to the station. More biscuits. It was the best cab ride ever. Hard to articulate how awesome it was.

Tomorrow: Milan!