Uncorked

Rugby fans and others who scan the tipping competition may notice a wild card on the page. My name, with the photo that accompanies. Uncorked, sat near the bottom of the Round 1 picks. Luck of the draw, apparently.

Round 2 picks appear this issue, ordered from most- to least-accurate predictors. Where am I? Right back in the same cellar corner.

I expect I will be a fixture there. In a way, I hope that is the case – a Yank doing well in a Kiwi contest is not the best way to stay welcome. But there is little fear of that.

Football (American) and futball (soccer), I know well. I am good at foosball (table soccer) with a good warmup. Rugby is another matter. Most of what I might have retained got head-butted away by my rugby-playing roommate at university.

So, my picks and my standing will, in all likelihood, be laughable. Believe me, I’m in on the joke!

* * *

Eagle eyes are not required to notice something distinctive on this issue’s cover.

It is HARDLY an everyday occurrence that five couples get married at the same time in Marlborough – or anywhere in New Zealand, really. When that happens on Valentine’s Day, and the newlyweds share family ties … that’s unique.

Pete Jones interviewed Rogene Daquioag for the boxing article in Sport. He learned Rogene’s parents, Rodel and Elynor, would follow a Filipino tradition by sharing the altar for their church wedding on Saturday afternoon.

Rodel graciously invited Pete and me, plus photographer Vaughan Scott, to the ceremony and the reception. All five couples took time away from their guests to pose for the photo we proudly published.

Congratulations to the happy couples!