50th birthdays and odd shaped balls

Date : Saturday February 17th, 2018
Match : Leicester Tigers vs Harlequins
Squad : Bowen (5th cap), Quincy (5th cap), Richo (5th cap), Laddso, Laddsy, Beebs (debut), Picton (special guest)

And so it went that friends of this blog did actually make the age of 50. In shocked celebration we embarked on a special birthday trip. Laddsy has long advocated a rugby trip and new member Beebs is a lifelong Tigers fan (honestly he has a shirt old enough to prove it). So on the eve before the trip we gathered at the local wine bar to surprise the boys and make plans.

It's a fairly painless one hour train journey to Leicester (population 444,000) and we disembarked the Rugger Express at about 11 - ready for a beer. By the time we hit the first pub we had already lost a member. Kev Picton is a wise man and his decision to start rather than end the day with a large kebab may have been genius. The rest of us decamped next door to - yes you guessed it - a Wetherspoons pub.

The Last Plantagenet, Leicester

The Last Plantagenet is a spacious and fairly typical 'spoons. Not a bad one either with a good choice of beers. Parked in a good spot with enough room we enjoyed beer and food ordered via the 'spoons app thus trumping those queuing at the bar. Horses were picked, accas were discussed, beer was drunk - 2 1/2 hours later we thought we'd better move on.

The Locker Room was the next stop. A sporty place with big screens and fizzy beer. Pleasant enough to while away some time whilst watching Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea slog out a nil all.

Leaving the Locker Room we headed towards the ground. Once in sight we could safely shelter in a pub again. This time the busy Bricklayers Arms.

The Bricklayers Arms, Welford Road, Leicester

Cobs on the bar were devoured and beers enjoyed but time was running short to get in the ground for kick off. Off we set again for the final leg and into the ground. Our tickets were on the terracing and getting in late it proved a struggle to get a good viewpoint but who cares when you can hold a beer in your hand.

The game itself is a lively affair. It's Six Nations time so both squads are shorn of many key players. In fact the most famous of those on the pitch is referee Wayne Barnes. That doesn't detract from the quality on show though and the highlight of a competitive game is Matt Toomua's solo try to edge Tigers back into a lead they would never relinquish. In the end the result looks comfortable for Tigers but it was anything but and a very enjoyable game.

At half time we had clocked the TV crew set up in the bar so on the final whistle it was straight back for a nose. And sure enough it was BT Sport and the Premiership show with Craig Doyle and Lawrence Dallaglio starring. 

The big man arrives

Getting ready

On air

After our moment of stardom and another beer it was time to wander in search of a grown man's treasure - curry. We ended up walking right through town and back past the station before we found somewhere that would accommodate us. The Mumbai Inn was that curry house and it was not bad at all.

Mumbai Inn

I'd be lying if I said I could remember what I ate. I can remember that Beebs just had starters and that he won a wad on a horse called Carolinea. The rest of my memories are augmented by the following photos.

Then it was back to the station and train and taxi home before a last one in the club. Good effort all round.

Stats 

Match

Leicester Tigers 33 Harlequins 18 

Stadium – Welford Road Stadium, Leicester.   Capacity – 28,849 

Attendance – 23,647 

Pubs - 3 

Best - The Bricklayers Arms 

Worst - The Locker Room 

Lunch - Wetherspoons 

Dinner - Mumbai Inn 

Pies - none it's rugger

Marks 

Ground - 7/10 

Match -   8/10 

Beer -      6/10 

Food -      7/10 

Pie-n/a 

Enjoyment Factor – 7/10