Pisco

If one wants to start a fight between a Chilean and a Peruvian one only has to express an opinion on the relative merits of the pisco produced in the two countries. Until yesterday i was not equipped to weigh in on this debate as I had only sampled the Chilean kind, which tastes like an OK grappa and is best drunk mixed with sugar, lime juice and frothed eggwhite. Yesrerday I got to try the Peruvian kind. As it costs about $40/bottle versus $25 for the Chilean kind I had high expectations. I was disappointed. It tastes like Chilean pisco strained through dirty socks. In short, an Inca stinker.

Long long day

I was at Fletchers from 0930 to 1730. The Ui6s beat the Yeomen comfortably despite a misunderstanding about what the Yeomen had agreed to in terms of substitutions which meant that I couldn't balance up the playing time the way I wanted. It also wasn't an especially good tempered game but that perhaps was inevitable.

My refereeing assignment was actually pretty horrible. It was a bad tempered, ineptly played gam and I don't think I did a particularly good job either. It's really hard not to get caught up in the garbage that's going on. In the end it's clear that the dirtier side won but the cleaner side gave away so many stupid technical penalties that it was hard not to whistle them out of the game. I'm going to see tackle/ruck offences that take place right in front of me. Lacking a second set of eyes, I'm going to miss a lot of the off the ball stuff. No fun for anyone really.

My afternoon finished up with running touch for the Scottish vs Barbs first team game. It was a big game (1 plays 3 in the Premiership) and televised. The Barbs deservedly won and I think Joyce did a really good job refereeing. The only thing that marred the game was a brawl that pretty much came out of nowhere with only two minutes left in the game.

Despite having now eaten and taken on board huge quantities of fluids I am completely knackered. Did I mention it was hot? Really hot!