Started with hotel buffet breakfast. Then walked to Jervis Shopping Centre to replenish supplies at Boots Pharmacy and Tesco Grocery store.  At Tesco, we bought sandwiches, chips/crisps, cookies, and drinks for today’s lunch.

We spent the early afternoon in the hotel, and called Erin to see how she is.  I asked the clerk at hotel reception about the best way to get to and from Aviva Stadium, and Nikita helped me plan our route.  Walk 20 minutes to the Tara station of DART.  Buy tickets from the machine and take any train South to Lansdowne station which is right by the stadium.  The train was very busy, but a kind young man gave up his seat for me, then another couple got up so Philip could sit down. So polite!  

Once at the stadium, we followed the Purple Route to Gate M.  Our seats are pretty good in Block 304, row E, seats 9&10.  We are in the second tier up and I’d say on the thirty yard line, if this was a football field, but I see no markers on the pitch.  We are at a good spot between the center and the eastern goal line. Fans from both teams are all around us sitting together.  They (and we) clapped and cheered, but there was not much booing and that was more like groaning for an injured player than dislike of a play or player.  

This game was round six of the United Rugby Championship with Leinster Rugby hosting Munster Rugby.  Kick-off at the Aviva Stadium was at 5:15 p.m.   I have never seen a rugby game before and thought seeing one would be an interesting cultural experience.   It was.  From what I see, fifteen men on each team are on the pitch playing at one time.  They form rows across the field carrying the ball then tossing it to a teammate when they are about to be tackled.  Munster scored first on a placekick for 3 points.  Leinster scored the first run play for 5 points plus 2 more points for an after kick.  We saw the scrums several times, but I have no idea when or why they happen when they do.  Occasionally, a player would hold and kick the ball which always went out of bounds on the side and looked like it was meant to do just that.  The medics ran out on the pitch to attend to someone at least a dozen times just in the first half, but no serious injuries resulted. 

Philip and I left at half time to go back toward town.  Leaving the stadium, we could see that a long walkway had been created with movable barriers to funnel people onto the train in both directions.  It must be quite a wait when everyone leaves at the same time after the game.  We waited about fifteen minutes in the rain for a train to come.   The DART train was not as busy as before the game, but there were still lots of people on it.  Again, young people gave up their seats for us old folks.  I chatted with three young women from the Netherlands and Germany on that train.  They’re here as interns learning about tourism.  

Walking back, we went into James Connolly pub to see about getting a table for dinner.  They were full, but suggested a couple places including their sister pub across the Liffey River.  We went there, The River Pub, in the Heineken building.  The man at the door gave us a table.  It looks like he reserves a section of tables for people coming to eat rather than just drink.  We watched the end of the game in the pub.  Final score Leinster 27 and Munster 13.  After the game, the television showed players from both teams as they talked to each other.  The Leinster players formed a two-sided line that Munster players walked through while Leinster clapped for them. Yesterday, our cab driver said that rugby is a game of gentlemen, and I see what he means.

We walked slowly back to the hotel from the pub with a bit of rain starting and stopping.  There are so many people on the sidewalks on this Saturday night.