The Rugby World Cup has started and so has my task to find somewhere decent to watch it. It does not appear on the usual cable channels, it only seems to be on Setanta, something primarily found in pubs, even though the USA has a team that seems to do OK. So the challenge will be to find a nice pub, showing the rugby, not too crowded and that doesn’t switch over at the slighttest provacation to American Football. My first attempt is at Nelson Blue, a New Zealand place down near the Seaport. Good food, good staff and a mixed crowd of ex-pats and USians. But this will not have all the matches on, as Setanta seems to not to want to provide them with the matches, even though they want to spend the money. Apparently, the company is restricting supply in the city, to certain Irish bars!

After the first England game, I’m pretty sure they are not going to replicate the success of last time. There was no flare, little excitement. I vividly recall watching the final last time, getting up early and going round to the local bar, full of fans, for breakfast, the absolute joy of that last minute kick. The victory parade went past the office and so many people just left the building to cheer the team as they went along Oxford St, an exhilarating moment. Unless they get a lot, lot better over the next week or so, it won’t be repeated.

PS if you do want to watch the rugby in the US, Setanta seems to have the monopoly, so here’s their handy tool to find out which pubs may be playing the games.