IronTiger
Active member
Well what are your expectations whilst waiting for a dual international superstar to come over for a BBQ? Well whatever I expected it was absolutely surpassed by the reality of the moment and what unfolded this morning as I watched Lote Tuqiri bowling to my 4 year old son in a game of backyard cricket.
The moment his huge frame glided through the door with his lovely wife and 2 beautiful children holding gifts for my kids we knew it was going be a special and at the same time strangely surreal morning. Not long later and after the introductions are made the kids are out of the door and are playing like best of mates in that way only kids can. So here we are the kids are outside running and playing trying not to get in the way of the Ribs and Rumps guys who are setting up for the BBQ and just as my son tackles Lote’s in a scene that could be from a future Tigers training session I turn my attention back to the conversation we are having with the new Tiger about the merits of a good Indian meal and the sad truth that we have both excepted that you just can’t one in Australia. Surely I must be asleep!
Then as my friends arrive the footy talk begins and shirts and hats come out for the signature of this very friendly giant who is happy to talk about any subject including my admission of watching with glee as I saw his Wallaby side beaten in the 2003 World Cup, sorry Tigers but he started it. My son then brought out his cricket set and despite my protestations that “Lote has not come here to play cricket” he was more than happy to bowl a few overs with which Jude rather superbly despatched over the fence for a couple of sixes. Pinch me I must be dreaming!
The food is now ready and we tuck into the huge burgers that Ribs and Rumps have cooked up and we are all sitting on the grass chatting about the usual you crap on about with friends at a family BBQ. That’s just how it feels and this is credit to Lote and particularly his lovely wife who lets face it could be doing better things on a Saturday morning than meeting complete strangers but is just extremely friendly and chats away with my wife like they have been friends for years. As the occasion is coming to an end Tigers CEO Stephen Humphries arrives with 4 of his 5 kids and greets everyone with a warm handshake and chats about the club his kids and all this on his 50th birthday.
Two hours after Lote has walked into my home its time for photos, goodbyes and to take a breath on what has just happened in a whirlwind morning that will stay with me and my family for years to come. I would just like to say a huge thankyou to the West Tigers and particularly Lote and his lovely wife Rebekah and gorgeous children Samson and Imosi. Thankyou too to Stephen Humphries for saying hello today it wasn’t expected but a real class touch. A huge thankyou to Wayne Cousins and Brett Clarke from the Media dept for organising and arranging the occasion, for making us all very comfortable and making this day possible it really was special in everyway.
Oh and not forgetting Ribs and Rumps not just for the great food but offering to take my BBQ grill and hotplate back to the restuarant to clean was fanatstic.
*I will post some pictures later.
The moment his huge frame glided through the door with his lovely wife and 2 beautiful children holding gifts for my kids we knew it was going be a special and at the same time strangely surreal morning. Not long later and after the introductions are made the kids are out of the door and are playing like best of mates in that way only kids can. So here we are the kids are outside running and playing trying not to get in the way of the Ribs and Rumps guys who are setting up for the BBQ and just as my son tackles Lote’s in a scene that could be from a future Tigers training session I turn my attention back to the conversation we are having with the new Tiger about the merits of a good Indian meal and the sad truth that we have both excepted that you just can’t one in Australia. Surely I must be asleep!
Then as my friends arrive the footy talk begins and shirts and hats come out for the signature of this very friendly giant who is happy to talk about any subject including my admission of watching with glee as I saw his Wallaby side beaten in the 2003 World Cup, sorry Tigers but he started it. My son then brought out his cricket set and despite my protestations that “Lote has not come here to play cricket” he was more than happy to bowl a few overs with which Jude rather superbly despatched over the fence for a couple of sixes. Pinch me I must be dreaming!
The food is now ready and we tuck into the huge burgers that Ribs and Rumps have cooked up and we are all sitting on the grass chatting about the usual you crap on about with friends at a family BBQ. That’s just how it feels and this is credit to Lote and particularly his lovely wife who lets face it could be doing better things on a Saturday morning than meeting complete strangers but is just extremely friendly and chats away with my wife like they have been friends for years. As the occasion is coming to an end Tigers CEO Stephen Humphries arrives with 4 of his 5 kids and greets everyone with a warm handshake and chats about the club his kids and all this on his 50th birthday.
Two hours after Lote has walked into my home its time for photos, goodbyes and to take a breath on what has just happened in a whirlwind morning that will stay with me and my family for years to come. I would just like to say a huge thankyou to the West Tigers and particularly Lote and his lovely wife Rebekah and gorgeous children Samson and Imosi. Thankyou too to Stephen Humphries for saying hello today it wasn’t expected but a real class touch. A huge thankyou to Wayne Cousins and Brett Clarke from the Media dept for organising and arranging the occasion, for making us all very comfortable and making this day possible it really was special in everyway.
Oh and not forgetting Ribs and Rumps not just for the great food but offering to take my BBQ grill and hotplate back to the restuarant to clean was fanatstic.
*I will post some pictures later.
