Rugby read for the week:

Bokkie Carstens from South Africa has come up with some compelling historical evidence of how far this kind of training can take you.

A couple of years back Bokkie wrote a book to celebrate 100 years of rugby in a small town called Somerset West about 40km from Cape Town. The rugby club was established in 1904 and between then and 1923, no less than nine of the Morkel family from the town represented the Springboks (seven of them in the 1913 team).

Bokkie says: “It was interesting that they too only practiced with tennis balls, forcing themselves to catch with both hands and kicking with both feet. They are part of the real cream of all Springboks ever to represent South Africa. Gerard, the true prince of fullbacks, in one season kicked 22 drop goals, some from more than 60 yards, both left and right without missing one.”

Bokkie says that Gerard when asked about his success said that it came from practising with tennis balls, and when you think about it, the reasons are obvious. If you can perform a skill with a small ball, then doing so with a large ball should be far easier.

Not everyone is going to become an international using this method, but there are clear benefits for all standards of players.

CLEO

12 more days and 12 more nights

wild rice presents: Singapore Theatre Festival

hey, some of us were talking about watching plays, and i just found a book on the theatre festival 2-20 august. i think you can find the link on www.singaporetheatrefestival.com so go crazy

what i think should be interesting:

homesick: alfian sa'at
mostly because i like alfian sa'at. heh
directed by: jonathan lim
2-4 august: 8pm
5-6 august: 3pm/8pm

the campaign to confer the public service star on jbj: eleanor wong
it's about freedom of expression in s'pore, playing with "what if" scenarios.
directed by: ivan heng
9-11 august: 8pm
12-13 august: 3pm/8pm

second link: eleanor wong and leow puay tin
plays from both s'pore and m'sia, showcasing texts that have been banned. they should be staging a bunch of plays, and they'll be mostly impromptu, with the audience dictating the plays that night.
directed by: ivan heng
16-18 august: 8pm
19-20 august: 3pm/8pm

okay, that's about it, at least on my part. there's a whole bunch of other plays, so just go take a look at the site.

Now & Forever

Jane Lee Yen Ling

1979 - 2006

Now and forever, you are a part of me
And the memory cuts like a knife
Didn't we find the ecstasy, didn't we share the daylight
When you walked into my life

Now and forever, I will remember
All the promises still unbroken
And think about all the words between us
That never needed to be spoken

We had a moment, just one moment
That will last beyond a dream, beyond a lifetime
We are the lucky ones
Some people never get to do, all we got to do
Now and forever, we will always think of you

Didn't we come together, didn't we live together
Didn't we cry together, didn't we play together
Didn't we love together
And together we lit up the world

We miss the tears, we miss the laughter
We miss the day we met and all that followed after
Sometimes I wish that I could always be with you
The way we used to do

Now and forever, we will always think of you
Now and forever, we will always be with you

________

Tributes to Jane may be signed at: obituary notice

To Jane - Gene Tong

Eulogy for Jane - Rachel Tang

_________

Blacks tribute video

wanna wanna.

merchandising HAVEN.

the hardworking employees of sports dome.

Oli....like i said...be cautious at all times....MUAHAHAHAHAHAHHAA.
pucker up Oli, PUCKER UP.

Learn to ruck!

Girls for your dissemination - to anyone of the female form who might be remotely inclined to running around with a ball, running into people with a ball or just running for a start.

It's time to go forth and spread the disease - its always nice to have some company.

Juan's Magnum Opus

only god knows how many nights she took to put this together... ok.. so maybe god and the poor soul she calls her sister that has to share her room...