Groin injury

We appear to be at the end of the all the Pool Games in the Rugby World Cup, and are poised for the Quarter Finals. I am struggling to keep up, let alone give the impression of interest. Mary on the other hand is entering everything on a large wall chart which permanently occupies our dining table. Yesterday Wales thrashed (don’t you loathe these silly overkill verbs...) Fiji 66 - 0, while Ireland saw off Italy 36 - 6. Poor old Fiji can’t expect to thrive in the midst of an oppressive military dictatorship.

Tonga, usually classified patronisingly as a minnow, on the other hand dismissed France, not classified as a minnow, 19 - 14, to the accompaniment of much exuberance, although we haven’t yet heard from the Tongan king. France is in serious despair, despite the curious fact that they still, rather than Tonga, go forward to the Quarter Finals. Much about all this is veiled from my understanding.

But now it is reported that the nation is in much dismay because All Black Dan Carter, the handsome one, managed to tear his Adductor Longus at footie practice. This is called a Groin Injury. It is somewhat dreaded. I researched this, and it is not the groin at all. Goodness knows where they got that idea, and I hope the All Black doctor has done some anatomy. It is a thigh injury. The groin is further up. We got repeated TV shots of Dan Carter in obvious pain, limping off the field holding the relevant place. Now it seems he is out of the rest of the RWC.

And so a black pall of misery has settled over the land. Almost the whole front page of major newspapers is devoted to it this morning. On radio there are serial interviews with anyone with an opinion or a prognostication. We were already nervous because Richie McCaw, the captain, has been getting niggles from a foot injury. His foot has a metal screw in it which sounds inconvenient to me. Perhaps they need to tighten the screw.

And so my breakfast was made miserable by the Dan Carter lamentations. His estimable parents in Southbridge were unable to fly to Auckland to be with him because there were no available seats. They are distraught. We got reassuring words from some previous All Black citing crises of the past. The All Blacks have to “step up” and “do the business”. I turned to the Concert Programme to save my digestion.

Yes it’s sad. Dan Carter is an icon, a role model, a legend, a hero and a heart-throb. He is also crucial in the All Black game, we are told. It remains to be seen whether he is essential. Meanwhile there are other events in the world that really do matter, and there are a few other good people with health issues somewhat more dire than a sports-inflicted torn Adductor Longus.