England vs New Zealand

What an amazing game of rugby. The skill levels were exceptional and both sides played with ambition but what took my breath away was the physicality. The first half was especially bruising.  Big men were hitting the line at pace and being driven back in the tackle.  Hardly a tackle was missed by either side in that first half and the contest at the breakdown was brutal but utterly disciplined.   'm in awe.

I was fortunate to get a recording from one of the New Zealand TV channels.  They really do better coverage than anyone else.  The commentators know the game and are familiar with the Laws, even the arcane bits and they are utterly fair.  I'm not sure who the play by play guy was but Justin Marshall was doing the colour commentary and it was really accurate and insightful.  Yje only Northern Hemisphere pundit who comes close is Jonathan Davies and don't get me going about the Australians.

Gerry Finley's Don Giovanni

Jonathan Kent's 2010 production of Mozart's Don Giovanni has a good cast and some interesting touches but somehow it never quite comes alive.  More...