stargazer wrote:Toronto Blue Jays (which, incidentally, face those Kansas City Royals in the next round of the playoffs).
Now that should be an interesting and fitting baseball game! Toronto would be a Canadian city, and of course Canada, like Australia and New Zealand, is a democratic nation under the Westminster system, where the Prime Minister is Canada's equivalent of Germany's Chancellor, Angela Merkel. But like Germany's head of state, President Joachim Gauke, Canada's non-political head of state is the Governor-General, acting in place of the Queen, on behalf of Canada and its elected government. There is to be an election there tomorrow which will decide whether or not Stephen Harper, leading his political party, will remain as Canada's Prime Minister. Should I cheer for Toronto's Blue Jays?
Or the Kansas Royals?
What an interesting competition this World Rugby Cup has been! England, which hosted it, was pushed into third place in Pool A, having been beaten by both Wales and Australia. But Australia topped Pool A in the deciding match, then Wales was defeated by South Africa in the Quarter Finals. Australia scraped into the Semi-finals by beating Scotland by a whiskery one point, after a thrilling game in which Scotland was in the lead until the dying moments of the game. In the other quarter finals, Argentina beat Ireland, whilst New Zealand absolutely slaughtered France.
For the first time in ages, all the four countries which make up both UK and the Republic of Ireland, have been eliminated, plus Japan, France, Romania, Italy, USA and Canada. All the semi final teams will be from the Southern Hemisphere. Australia will be facing Argentina, whilst New Zealand and South Africa will compete to enter the finals. The losers of both games will be competing against each other for third place. I doubt that South Africa, having had a surprise loss to Japan, in Pool B, would be strong enough to beat New Zealand's famous All Blacks.