Samoa
SAMOA
Samoa given the size of their players, always play with verve and hard tackling but also with the speed & ability to break away and surprise. In Pool D alongside England, Japan, Argentina & Chile. The pool draw means that if they play on form, they could easily be through to the next round.
The National Team known as Manu Samoa, is names after a famous warrior. Like many of the Pacific Islander teams, they throw down a challenge at the start of each match – their war dance is called siva tau. Rugby started in Samoa in 1924, with their first match against Fiji, which brilliantly was played at 7am so the Samoans could get to work after the match – and the pitch had a large tree planted on the halfway line! Things have moved on somewhat – including the heady days of the 1990’s with great Samoan players such as Brian Lima. RWC 2023 will be their ninth consecutive appearance in the tournament.
The arrival of head coach, Seilala Mapusua, who has played in previous RWC’s has given a renewed determination to the team. Looks like a good year for Samoan rugby.
Captain: Michael Alaalatoa
Player to Watch: Ben Lam (nephew of Pat Lam, who is head coach at Bristol)
For more information about Samoa Rugby: www.manusamoa.com
For full details follow: www.rugbyworldcup.com
What to Eat & Drink whilst watching the Ikale Tahi
Food: In Samoa, it’s all about the plentiful amount of great fresh ingredients. Obviously, lots of fish (snapper, tuna, and octopus) from the beautiful South Pacific waters – but also lots of coconuts and bananas. For easy match day food try cooking banana cake (which would pair well with a malty beer) or the popular coconut bread, Pani Popo.
Paifala, a sweet pastry sweet stuffed with fruit & custard is possible not the best match for match day beers – but try looking out of a recipe for Kale – a Samoan curry (from lamb , chicken or other meat). Not as spicy as other curries, it would be a good easy going on the palate option to pair with a beer or an aromatic white wine such as Viognier!
Celebrity Chef Monica Galetti draws on her Samoan heritage for a few of the recipes in her book At Home such as Masi Samoa.
Beer: The main beer of Samoa is Vailima and seems to be present at every rugby match going in Samoa. Sadly, not as easy to find in the UK – but do also look out for another beer called Taula – try some of the online independent beer specialists.
Wine: Right, this is where things become a little tenuous! As Samoa, nor Fiji or Tonga are suitable for wine making (well from local proper vines anyway!), this section proves a bit of a challenge. So I have taken the letters of each country to find a wine somewhere in the world that spells out their name and at the same time, hope you discover some more unusual wines.
S is for Syrah, and given the close links between NZ and Samoa, it had to be this gorgeous Syrah from New Zealand Oldest winery – Te Mata Estate Syrah. Bursting with flavour, hints of white pepper, deep dark fruits, and overlaying chocolate. Available from www.majestic.co.uk and great value for this class of wine at just £15.99 on their six-mix deal.
A is for Alsatian wines – a beautiful region of France with Germanic names, whose wines are still sadly too often misunderstood and wrongly dismissed as sweet, when often they are not but instead can be fabulously aromatic. Try a Gewürztraminer from leading producer Hugel for glorious rose petal & lychees nose. This delightful world class wine will convert you – especially if you enjoy with some blue cheese! www.slurp.co.uk
M is for a little known Greek grape variety – Mavroudi. This mono varietal example from the Vourvoukeli estate in Thrace is brilliant – masses going on in the glass, with lots of black fruit (the variety name comes from black), good acidity saves it going over the top and a wine that delights. Woth seeking out from www.maltbyandgreek.com
O is for Orvieto, a white wine from Italy’s region of Umbria. Fresh notes of lemon with touches of hazelnuts, there are many easy drinking versions, under a tenner, such as the Orvieto Classico from the www.coop.co.uk .
A is for Assyrtiko – an enticing white variety. This time grown by brilliant producers Lyrarakis on the island of Crete. Appealing nose of honeysuckle and broom, with crisp minerality. Bargain at £10.99 from /www.majestic.co.uk
Georgia
GEORGIA
Home to some very strong physical players who play good solid attacking rugby, Georgia has a long history of playing Rugby, starting from an ancient game that was played locally called Lelo, and which gives the National team their nickname – the Lelo’s. Outstanding at club level, they have won the European Championship 12 times. Often discussed as a possible 7th team to join the Six Nations, there is no doubt that Georgia’s performance is seen by many to be one of the most improved teams in recent years. Head Coach, Levan Maisashvili, who is an inspiration to the National Team is now thankfully back to coaching after the lung damage suffered from Covid.
Facing the Wallabies in their first match, the Georgian team will be looking to recreate a shock result in their favour – as they did when they beat Wales in the Autumn Series last November. Expect some hard-hitting rugby in that match on 9th September.
However, the sympathy should be reserved for the poor Rugby Commentators dealing with such Georgian surnames at high speed!
Captain: Merab Sharikadze
Player to Watch: Giorgi Kveseladze, a centre who had created some great trys!
For more details on Georgian Rugby http://www.rugby.ge
For full details follow: http://www.rugbyworldcup.com
What to Eat & Drink whilst watching Lelos
Food: The first thing to understand is that the Georgians are amazingly hospitable people and they take celebrating very seriously! They hold a huge number of feasts where dish after dish appears. Feasts also include a lot of singing – and a LOT of toasts being made by every member of the party – taken from a Georgian drinking Horn, which is quite an art after a copious amount of wine. I could not find an authentic Georgian drinking horn in the UK but try this website for a suitable alternative (www.horncraft.co.uk) – it will certainly make your Georgian match party be memorable. Gaumarjos is a great word to use as a toast!
One key dish in Georgian cooking is Khinkali , which are a dumpling stuffed with spiced meat in a hot broth – but it’s a challenge to eat without dribbling broth all down your Lelos Rugby shirt!
Rather delicious and omnipresent at Georgian feasts is Khachapuri, a type of bread stuffed with cheese. Nuts feature heavily in Georgian cooking especially walnuts but also hazelnuts and herbs such as coriander often combined to make sauces or dips.
Good match day food would be Qababi, meat kebabs marinated with Sumac and wrapped into hot flat bread. Look out also for cheeses such as Sulguni.
For some inspiration, try the cookbook Mamushka by chef of the moment, oliahercules.com – her recipes include a whole variety from the Caucasus mountains and around including some from Georgia as well.
Drink:
Beer: Kazbegi and Natakhtari are two leading brands of beer in Georgia – try some of the specialist beer stockists listed on the relevant page.
Wine: Perhaps surprisingly to many people, Georgia is known as the Cradle or Birthplace of Wine and is one of the oldest vine growing regions in the world, with proof of wine being made in the area since 6000 BC.
There is a wide difference in styles (and quality) of wine produced in Georgia today. Saperavi is the main red grape variety and is still made by many producers in Qveri. Similar in appearance to stone amphora, they are terracotta fermentation vessels that are buried in the ground – a fascinating way of making wines which is gaining lots of followers throughout the wine world from Sicily to Chile. Both whites and reds are often made in a style unconventional to most modern tastes – the whites in particular, falling under the “orange” wine grouping. For the white wines, look out for grape varieties of the versatile Rkatsiteli or the aromatic Mtsvane.
Some producers worth seeking out.
www.since1011.com/en (the fascinating Alaverdi Monastery)
Some of these stockists below list a range of Georgian wines:
www.lescaves.co.uk quirky independent wine merchant who has an amazing list from around the world (especially if you like orange and natural wines).
National Drink: Although Georgia vies with Armenia for the best Brandy producer in that part of the world, there is also the local version of grappa knowns as Chacha (available via the above stockists). Far be it from me (and I say this as a grappa lover!) to be boring – but all I can say is, proceed with caution!
Tonga
TONGA
Tonga, the last Polynesian monarchy, is made up of 170 islands situated in the South Pacific. It became fully independent from Britain in 1970 and has very close ties with New Zealand. Lots of Tongans go to NZ to work – and of course play Rugby! At the start of their matches, they perform their ritual dance Sipu Tau. Along with other Rugby World Cups teams Fiji & Samoa, Tonga belongs to the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance. Expect some very physical tackling – especially as they have South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and Romania in their group.
Despite, some hard-hitting rugby looking likely, and their coach, former Wallaby Toutai Kefu, must be seeking an upset or two against one of those teams to ensure that Tonga get past the pool matches, which they have not done in their previous nine RWC appearances.
Known as ‘Ikale Tahi, which translates as the Sea Eagles, they play Irelanbd on 16th September so hoping they can wine as a gift to the Tongan Crown Prince Tupouto’a- Ulukalala, whose birthday it is on 17th September!
Captain: Sonatene Takulua
Player to Watch: Paula Ngauamo, who plays hooker is always a solid presence on the field.
For more information on Tongan Rugby – www.tongarugbyunion.net
For full details of the Rugby World Cup follow: www.rugbyworldcup.com/
What to Eat & Drink whilst watching the Ikale Tahi
Food: The volcanic soils of these islands are very fertile, with most of the produce being planted here by in comers throughout history. Coconut is a very important part of Tongan cooking both the milk and the flesh. Obviously being surrounded by such great water, seafood such as crab plus a wide range of fish as well as octopus feature strongly. Breadfruit is widely found as indeed are yams. The key to Tongan cooking is simple and letting the flavours shone through. But for a sophisticated match day nibble, try making Ota Ika – which is a local type of ceviche of fish which has been “cooked” using lemon juice – but to make it Tongan, add coconut milk and serve with a selection of fresh crudités.
Drink:
Beer: Most are imported beers from New Zealand such as Mata Maka. There is a local home brew called Hopi, which sounds best avoided!
Kava: A traditional Tongan drink made from dried and ground Kava Plant Root used at ceremonies.
Wine: Right this is where things become a little tenuous! As Tonga, nor Fiji or Samoa are suitable for wine making (well from local proper vines anyway!), this section proves a bit of a challenge. So, I have taken the letters of the country to find a wine somewhere in the world so at the same time, hope you discover some more unusual wines.
T is for – Tempranillo from NZ’s Trinity Hill. The vineyards for this wine are in the revered Gimblett Gravel region of Hawkes Bay. Tempranillo known as the main grape of Rioja in Spain, in this delicious antipodean example is all bramble fruit with chocolate on the finish. £22 approx. – from https://www.winedirect.co.uk
O is for Otago, or more precisely Central Otago on NZ’s South Island. Surrounded by stunning countryside in a premium location are the Riesling vineyards whose grapes go into Wild Earth Riesling. Versatile, appealing, fabulous acidity with hints of elderflower & lime, it is great to pair with anything coconut, given the Tonga use of it in many recipes. £14 from www.northandsouthwines.co.uk
N is for Nerello Mascalese. Quite a jump away from Tongo to the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, but the volcanic soils of both places are the link. Look out for this red variety bottled as Etna Rosso (and blended with small amount of Nerello Cappuccio) from small estate of Monteleone. Simply delightful, bright crunchy red fruit, but a pop of salinity among the smoky finish makes this a delicious wine. Contact their UK importers for local stockists – www.astrumwinecellars.com
G is for Gamay – the red grape variety of Beaujolais. But cast off all those bad memories of hideous Beauj Nouveau – and seek out one of the Beaujolais Cru wines , of which there are ten – St-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly, and Côte de Brouilly. The Cru wines have more depth and chacarter so worth paying a little extra such as for Domaine Cedric-Lathuiliere – Morgon Vieilles Vignes. From www.thegeneralwine.co.uk
A is for Albarino. A crisp white variety, usually found in Northern Spain, but this one is from New Zealand’s Nelson region – from Waimea Estates. Appealing notes of clementines and crisp acidity & minerality – a great match for a seafood platter! £11 from www.majestic.co.uk
Namibia
NAMIBIA
Their nickname does not trip off the tongue – Welwitschias – named after a unique plant which is found in the Namib desert, but the Namibian team are fighters and just keep battling on the pitch, even when the odds are not with them. They have been in every RWC since the initial tournament but have yet to get beyond the pool stages – winning the Africa Cup yet again in 2022 hopefully will have given them some confidence for their 7th RWC.
However, sadly there are in Pool A – so matches against the All Blacks, France as well as Italy and Uruguay. Not the easier of draws and they will really have to step up a gear in this pool. But they do have their talisman player in shape of Captain Johan Deysel.
Captain: Johan Deysel
Player to Watch: Confess that have not seen many Namibia matches, but would choose Torsten Van Jaarsveld, who currently is playing in France at Club level for Bayonne.
For more details on Namibia Rugby: http://www.namibianrugby.com
For full details follow: http://www.rugbyworldcup.com
What to Eat & Drink whilst watching the Welwitschias
Food:
There is some great beef in Namibia as the cattle live mainly off Savannah grass so is very natural. Other types of meat are increasingly popular such as venison and ostrich, so meat BBQs known as Braaivleis are the order of the day. Odd Fact: Britain imports more Namibian BBQ charcoal than any other country but please do check that it is FSC certified to protect the workers who produce it.
If you want to be authentic, try cooking potjiekos, a spicy stew of meat, chicken or fish, which is traditionally cooked in three-legged pot over an open fire.
Although it might be difficult to find in the UK, Namibian olive plantations (including the Kalamata olives) are increasing – so keep an eye out for them in the future.
Germanic influence is also strong in Namibian cooking today – and nowhere more so than cakes where Black Forest gateaux and Apple Strudel turn up with delicious regularity.
Namibians share a love of neighboring South African snacks such as biltong and droewors (a spicy dried sausage) as well as Landjäger, a smoked pork and beef sausage. Visit these great guys online (we are lucky they are local and so pop up at our local market!) who have great snack packs perfect for match day: www.simplyafricanfood.uk
Beer: Namibia has its Germanic history to thank for a thriving and award-winning beer industry. As far back as 1516, the Duke of Bavaria passed a purity law, which is still respected today in Namibia, so that beers are made using only malted barley, hops and water with no chemical additions.
Windhoek is the most well -known brand and is available www.thebeertown.co.uk
Wine: Unlike more its more famous neighbour, South Africa, Namibia is not famed for wine making but there is one producer whose name keeps popping up – the family owned, second generation, Thonningii Wine Cellar. They own 5.5 hectares of vines in the Otavi Mountain Valley and planted to an interesting diversity of grape varieties – Syrah, Tinta Barocca, Barbera, Viognier, Colombard and Verdelho. Anyone out there who knows where to source a couple of bottles, do let me know!
New Zealand
NEW ZEALAND
And what a match to open the RWC 2023 – hosts France vs New Zealand. That promises some exciting rugby. Having won the RWC in 2011 and 2015, it was a deep shock to the All Blacks to only come third in last RWC in 2019. They will have taken this to heart and that can only mean some explosive rugby to delight us all.
One Rugby pundit after the 2023 summer series, commented – “For once, the All Blacks are coming into the World Cup more as the hunters not the hunted”. An interesting take on a team, whose victories have repeatedly scattered the rugby pitches of the world. But their warmup match against South Africa in August at Twickenham, where they lost 37-7 to the Springboks, struck shock into Kiwi fans and a smidgen of hope into those of Italy, Uruguay & Namibia, who find themselves in Pool A with the All Blacks. The NZ discipline in that match, with repeat infringements, sin bins, yellow and even a red card was in part to blame – yes, the men in Gold & Green played their boots off but they also lost 39% of their tackles and yet still dominated the match. That recent result will have made the All Blacks want even more to win this first match against France and put their stamp back on the tournament.
And this is the All Blacks – the most awe inspiring, revered and respected of teams, never to be underestimated. They will be all too aware of the emotional advantage of a home match for France in their starting pool game – but they have the advantage of (usually!) playing with more unending focus and seizing every gap & opportunity afforded them by their opponents – combining reliability with attacking flair as well as defence – as Mary Poppins would say “Practically perfect in every way”.
Captain: Sam Cane
Player to Watch: Richie Mo’Unga (not only for his outstanding excellence on the pitch as fly half but gets my vote for his accurate statements about the double standards after the reversal of Farrell’s ban!)
For more details of Team New Zealand: www.allblacks.com
For full details follow www.rugbyworldcup.com
What to Eat & Drink whilst watching the All Blacks
Food: As befits an Island nation, New Zealand is blessed with a wide range of produce from sparkling fresh seafood to delicious lamb. The Maori influence is seen by the continued popularity of a Hangi, which is similar to the Lovo of Fiji, – cooking in an underground oven using heated rocks to steam & bake. British influence in NZ’s cuisine has now been also blended with the effect of Pacific Rim cooking. One of the best dishes that I ate in New Zealand was the superb green lipped mussels – but that might be a little fiddly for match day food.
The interest in Maori cuisine, throughout the wider NZ population is having a bit of a renaissance with Chefs respecting the traditions, recipes and engaging with their native plants and seeds. Try making Paraoa rewena, sourdough bread but where the starter is based on potato. Or maybe a bowl of Inaga – deep fried whitebait. Perfect finger food for cheering on the All Blacks!
Or given that are 4.9 sheep to every human in New Zealand – why not get creative with lamb. Buy some small lamb chops (or get your butcher to split a rack into individual chops and French trimmed – then once roasted (with lots of garlic and mint) – the perfect finger food to nibble!
But there is perhaps one more food even more perfect for match day – still enjoyed throughout New Zealand – Fish & Chips! You could show the more Asian influences of NZ by making it with Tempura batter – but why mess around with a classic! Follow this link and find an outstanding independent Chippy near you – thefishandchipawards.com/the-national-fish-and-chip-awards-winners
Drink:
Beer: Very much in tune with the “have a go” and inventive attitude of most Kiwi’s, craft beer production has hugely increased in New Zealand! There is now a vast range of very individual styles being produced. Look out for www.yeastieboys.co.nz stocked in the UK by (as well as lots of great NZ beers) www.newzealandbeer.co.uk
More mainstream beer brands widely available include Speights and Steinlager, the latter having been sponsors of the All Blacks since 1986 and have created adverts for this RWC #unconditionalsupporters
Wine: Easily in my top ten favourite wine producing countries of the world, New Zealand produces some tantalising wines. It burst onto the world market with Sauvignon Blanc and that is still by far the most planted variety – but it has so much more interesting other wines to offer as well – including some spectacular Riesling and interesting left field varieties such as Gruner Veltliner. Considering that NZ only produces less than 2% of the World’s wine, it has a strong export market, especially on the UK stage. Its admirable attitude to screwcaps as a closure and sustainability in the vineyards along with its diverse climatic conditions mean that NZ wine has an even greater future.
Chardonay made by brilliant wine maker Michael Brajkovich MW at Kumeu River, is always delicious – so depend on your budget for your All Blacks party. Kumeu Village Chardy – accessible, crisp apples & slightly honied – delicious especially at this price £12.50 from www.thewinesociety.com
Or up a level to the Kumeu Estate Chardonnay – more depth and character, think apple crumb with some hazelnuts. £25 from www.leaandsandeman.co.uk
Or from the same wine merchant. L&S, one of their top flights Chardonnays, indeed possibly one of the best wines in NZ – Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard. Incredible purity, fresh grapefruit with garrigue herbs, leading into flinty minerality – just heaven in a glass. Worth its £49 price tag.
There are many perfectly OK but rather one-dimensional Sauvignon Blancs from NZ that flood the UK market, but also some outstanding ones to seek out. Such as from the estate of Greywacke – whose Sauvignon Blanc is bursting with character yet elegant – lots of limes zest, pears, custard apples, but it’s the texture and depth that makes this SB stand out from the crowd. £21 – www.laithwaites.co.uk
A gorgeous Syrah from New Zealand Oldest winery – Te Mata Estate Syrah. Bursting with flavour, hints of white pepper, deep dark fruits, and overlaying chocolate. Available from https://www.majestic.co.uk and great value for this class of wine at just £15.99 on their six-mix deal.
One of the most exciting regions of NZ is Central Otago on the South Island, especially if you like silky, seductive Pinot Noir. If you like your Pinots to have lots of ripe cherry notes backed up with some spice, look out for Akitu Pinot Noir. Heavenly with lamb or melanzane parmigiana. www.slurp.co.uk or www.thegeneralwine.co.uk
Staying close by in Central Otago, look out for Mount Difficulty Pinot Noir, lovely notes of dark cherries, with some warmth of nutmeg on the finish, this is classic PN from the region of Bannockburn. £28 from www.waitrose.com
Links to just a few of my favourite NZ Wine Producers to seek out and enjoy:
And for when you may have celebrated a little too much – don’t forget that NZ has a thriving Coffee Culture – with all the terminology that goes with it – who else would have invented the “Flat White” (well the Aussies argue they did but we’re amongst friends….) – and did you know that New Zealand has more roasters per person than anywhere else in the world. Just don’t tell a Kiwi Barista that a coffee with milk (UK style) is the same as a “flat white”!
For more information about Wines of New Zealand: www.nzwine.com
South Africa
SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa – the Springboks – always a dangerous team to face. They play a brutal physical game, and with the extensive experience in their pack – they know a lot of tricks and how to read their opponents play. Coming into this RWC as 2nd in the World, will do their confidence no harm – but they will be badly wanting to beat their fellow pool team of Ireland, who are rated one above them as best in the world!
Looking to win their Fourth RWC, (1995, 2007 & last tournament of 2019), many eyes will be on Springboks tactics of the 6-2 split, and the so-called Bomb Squad.
Should see them progress through the draw pool matches with no problems – although the pool match against Tonga promises to be a bruiser! As 24th September will be National Braai Day in South Africa, the Springboks will be looking to celebrate a win against Ireland, which match is the day before!
But the other teams in Pool B, Scotland, Tonga and Romania will be remembering the 35 -20 defeat of the Boks by the All Blacks in July – the Springboks are threatening but not invincible!
Captain: Siya Kolisi
Players to Watch: Canan Moodie, the youngest player in the 2023 squad, but impressive against New Zealand. Moves to wing for the first match against Scotland.
For more details on South African Rugby – www.sarugby.net
For full details of the Rugby World Cup 2015 follow : www.rugbyworldcup.com
What to Eat & Drink whilst watching the Springboks
Food: With many different historical influences and different cultures in South African their cuisine is really a melting pot of flavours. But for a party – one thing South Africans do very well is a BBQ – known as a Braai. It can range from all sorts of meat (and indeed even fish – Snoek being the classic) – but also great sausages such as Boerewors. Also traditional is the Braaibroodjie – a South African BBQ’ed cheese sandwich! A fabulous snack for watching the match is Biltong – but don’t be put off if you’ve tried it before from a supermarket and left chewing it for hours – find a good supplier like the guys below – and give the various types a go!
Simply African Food Ltd have a great website to help source everything you need to start off your South African party and you can order online snacks such as biltong and droewors (a spicy dried sausage) as well meats for the BBQ such as Boerewors. Visit these great guys online (we are lucky as they are local and so pop up at our local market!) www.simplyafricanfood.uk
If you plan a Braii for the pre match warm up, remember the fundamental rule: “Don’t sit back and tell the person Braii-ing how to cook the meat. If you don’t have the tongs in your hand, then keep your opinions to yourself!”
South Africa also has a wealth of great natural products from seafood, through to honey and a wide variety of fruits. The modern style of cooking is more creative, varied and lighter than one might expect.
For recipes suggestions, one of my favourites (almost 10 years old but still great) do buy the cook book “Entertaining at Hamilton Russell Vineyards” by Olive Hamilton Russell, who along with husband Anthony Hamilton Russell, own one of the most brilliant wine estates of South Africa. The book has 50 recipes – all seasonal and show casing South African produce.
Drinks:
Beer: Castle Lager & Lion Lager are classics and will always turn up at a Braai! As well as Soweto Gold, all are available from www.southafricanshoplondon.co.uk
Craft indie breweries in South Africa are on the increase such as www.soulbarrel.co.za
Wine: South Africa is home to a diverse style of wines, from the easy quaffing entry levels to some world class wines. Historically it was known for two flagship varieties: Chenin Blanc in the White Corner and for Reds – Pinotage. But today there is a much wider range of grape varieties to explore from Chardonnay to sauvignon, Cabernet to Shiraz. Also, home to some stunning Pinot Noirs.
AA Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc – Forget bland interpretations of Chenin Blanc, this wine is stunning from brilliant winemaker Adi Badenhorst. Hailing from old-vines in the Swartland region, with ridiculously low yields, giving huge complexity & texture – bags of exotic fruit and layers of flavour that sing in the class. Way outperforms its price tag of £16. Quite simply – Buy! Available from www.swig.co.uk
The Search Grenache Blanc, Marsanne & Roussanne. Made from three varieties more usually found in the Southern Rhone valley in France (think Chateauneuf du Pape et alia), an easy drinking but appealing white, with appealing aromatics such as peach, sage and white pepper. Good party wine at under a tenner. From www.waitrose.com
Bellingham The Bernard Series Viognier– beautiful floral, aromatic, pure apricots on the nose – a lovely wine. Available £14.99 The General Wine Company www.thegeneralwine.co.uk (who have a large range of South African wines)
Stellenrust Stellenbosch Manor Cinsault. One of our go-to Tuesday evening wines, especially when pizza is on the menu at home, this red from the Cinsault grape variety, is attractively lighter in style making it an ideal wine for match day! Red fruits, spicy and easy quaffing. Just over £10 from www.waitrose.com
Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage – Well we had to have a Pinotage, and from who better than the estate that made this red variety famous (I also had the best Braai ever at their estate on my first visit to the winelands of the Cape!) Attentive winemaking means this example is much more approachable in the glass, with more fruit, less of the old-style rustic notes. Bright red fruit with warmth and cocoa on the finish. £14 from www.majestic.co.uk
Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir £47. Perhaps not one for sloshing around at a Braii, but definitely one to indulge if the Springboks get through to the final stages. Very elegant, Burgundian style with layers of complexity. This world class Pinot Noir has a seductive savoury-ness with notes of leather backed up by good fruit. Available – www.henningswine.co.uk
For more information on Wines of South Africa – visit www.wosa.co.za
Japan
JAPAN
The Cherry Blossoms are one of the teams that play with heart but sadly do not always have the result to show for it at the end of a match. Despite some imports originally from New Zealand and Australia featuring in the squad, overall, the team seem to struggle against bigger more physical sides. But as a team, they never give up, like tenacious terriers, they have upset a few teams over the years including South Africa Ireland and Scotland.
New Zealand born coach, Jamie Joseph, played for both NZ and Japan at National Level – and has instilled a “can do” attitude into this team. He sadly is stepping down as head coach after the tournament, so will be hoping to go out on a high note of progressing beyond the pool matches.
On 9th October, the day after their last pool match against Argentina, is National Sports Day in Japan – so they will be taking some inspiration from this!
Captain: Kazuki Himeno
Player to Watch: Regretfully, I know very little about the Blossoms, but Michael Leith is always a lynchpin in their game plan.
For more information about the Japanese Rugby Squad – www.jrfu.org/jrfu/index.php
For full details follow: www.rugbyworldcup.com/
What to Eat & Drink whilst watching the Cherry Blossoms
Food: The perception of Japanese cooking being delicate and light with a great reliance on super fresh seafood and fish may not seem the Go-To comfort food on match day, but it makes a light alternative to all the many BBQs throughout the World Cup team cuisines. Sushi is often seen as an exclusive sort of food but it’s the original street food in Japan. If you are feeling creative, Sushi is remarkably easy to make at home once you have a few basics. Do visit – www.japancentre.com who have a good delivery service across a wide range of Japanese food & drink. For both Sushi and Sashimi, the freshness of the fish is vital, so perhaps send your guests on a fishing trip before the match!
Several of my favourite Japanese dishes such as Ramen and Soba noodles involve too much hot stock splashing around to make them good match food – but Yakitori could have been designed especially. Skewers of chargrilled chicken, which are a favourite snack at a bar on the way home from work in Tokyo, with Shio (salt) or Tare (sweet soy sauce) as dips would be the ideal pairing with a glass of Japanese beer.
Beer: Several big names dominate the Japanese market including Kirin and Asahi, but with a good variety of styles. Asahi is a dry crisp style but there is also the Asahi Kuronama, more like a dark ale. Try this supplier for a range of beers www.mountfuji.co.uk
Wine: The national drink is Sake, fermented rice wine, which is just as complex as wine from grapes that we are used to in Europe and just as revered.
Many people in the UK look out for the award winning bottles with those unmistakable medal stickers of the International Wine Challenge, but not many know that they also run a Sake Challenge as well. www.internationalwinechallenge.com
For a great range including premium Sakes and even Sparkling sake, do visit – www.londonsake.com
Whisky: Whisky is big business in Japan and in the Whisky Bible 2015, a Japanese single malt took the number one spot (and there were no Scottish Whisky in the top 5!).
Yamazaki is a recognisable brand in the UK as it’s been imported for over 30 years – stocked occasionally by www.waitrose.com
Or visit this website for a wider range of Japanese Malts. www.masterofmalt.com – who list the Yamazaki 12-Year-old which was bottled to celebrate the House of Suntory’s 100th anniversary (they are the oldest malt whisky distillery in Japan). But the Master of Malt also has a great taster set of 5 Japanese whiskies in small bottles – so you can experiment with styles!
Tea: The Japanese tea ceremony is well documented, so I will merely mention here that as an alternative for any drivers, do seek out some Matcha Green Tea – very calming in times of match stress.
Wales
WALES
Wales are in Pool C with an equally lacklustre Australia but with ebullient Fiji, solid Georgia and exciting Portugal – Wales might just be in the Pool with the most surprise results – and not necessarily in their favour.
Despite having been at the Autumn Series England Vs Wales at the Principality stadium, watching their home win (admittedly over a dire English performance), there is not a huge amount that reassures me about Wales’ team as they go into this, their ninth RWC tournament. Their highest finishing position in the RWC was finishing third (back in 1987!) After their defeat 52 – 16 by South Africa this August, Coach Warren Gatland will be looking for some improvement from his team – he has promised in interviews something special in the RWC so expectations are high!
With their lowest ever ranking of 10th going into a RWC, Wales need a boost of confidence. But this is still Wales – and there are some awesome players in the team – four of them with over 100 caps apiece. On paper Wales are a lot stronger than recent matches have shown so it’s all down to cohesion and delivery on the day. Their match against Fiji on 10th September could see some fireworks on the pitch!
Overall, with three teams in the pool who have everything to prove against the more established yet underperforming teams of the Wallabies and Wales – Pool C promises for some of the most exciting matches in the RWC.
Co -Captains: Dewi Lake & Jac Morgan
Player to Watch: The brilliant Leigh Halfpenny – a world class player and they will be hoping for points from his accurate kicking.
To find out more about Welsh Rugby: www.wru.co.uk
For full details follow : www.rugbyworldcup.com
What to Eat & Drink whilst watching the Dragons
Food: There has been a real foodie revolution in Wales over the last few decades – and today there is a wide range of great local produce to choose such as delicious Black Welsh Lamb, www.blackwelshlamb.com to a cornucopia of smoked goodies such as duck and salmon from www.smoked-foods.co.uk or traditional morish Welsh cakes from these great guys in Cardiff Market www.bakestoneswales.co.uk
One of the classic foods is of course laver bread, but it’s an acquired taste. Add to potato cakes like fritters – ideal with a match day fry up! Available online (and with useful recipes) www.laverbread.com
A great match day idea would be a Welsh Cheese Board – there are some outstanding artisanal producers across the principality so you can either order directly from them or visit the brilliant Welsh Cheese Company www.welshcheesecompany.co.uk. They have an incredibly tempting range of Welsh cheeses – from 15 different cheese producers. Below are just a few of my favourites:
www.welshcheesecompany.co.uk
Teifi Halloumi – From Caws Teifi who apparently are the most highly awarded artisan cheesemaker in Britain!). Welsh Halloumi I hear you say? And why not – this one is delicious for sliced and pan fried – perhaps on a grain salad from a slightly healthier take on match day food!
Celtic Promise – from Caws Teifi. Originally a Caerphilly, the rind is washed twice a week for seven weeks for its distinctive aroma.
Golden Cenarth – from Caws Cenarth. Multi award winning, a semi soft cheese washed with cider. Is great baked in the oven for dipping!
Hafod – Think of a cheddar style but with bags of flavour and character. Delicious on its own but is perfect for cheese toasties on match day (spread inside the bread with apple chutney first!)
Brefu Bach – Unpasteurised sheep’s cheese from the foothills of Snowdonia. Soft and sweet with delicate texture. The name means little bleat.
Dragon’s Breath Cheddar – For those who like a bit of a kick – chilli cheddar made with Brains beer & whole grain chilli mustard.
Perl Las – Irresistible blue cheese (blue pearl in Welsh), its creamy texture, salty and long finish make it a great choice on the chessboard, in a salad or melted onto a steak baguette!
Teifi Smoked Caerffili – Cold smoked over Welsh Oak. A Caerphilly with lovely crumbly texture with smokiness. Delicious with pears on the cheeseboard.
As a nod to the many Italians that moved to South Wales, you could also offer an antipasto of mixed charcuterie – but all made from traditional breeds in Monmouthshire, including their awesome fennel salami or wild boar – truly delicious! www.trealyfarm.com
It would not be Welsh if leeks did not appear somewhere – so for perfect match day food – why not a twist of cheese on toast. Slices leeks (lots!) and cook in generous amounts of butter till sweet and soft, mix in handfuls of delicious Welsh blue cheese such as Perl Las (from Caw Cenarth as above). Take pugliese bread – ( www.crostamollica.com – available in supermarkets) – though any decent sourdough bread thickly cut would do as well – and toast. Top toast with leeks and enjoy!
Drink:
Beer: There is one beer that leaps to mind when thinking of Wales and Rugby – Bains. Not only do they have a wide range of commercial beers of all variations including the Dark Ale, brewed since the 1920s. – they also now have a range of bottle craft beers – ideal if you are watching the match at home. www.sabrain.com
But do look out for beer the growing band of small brewers such as the brilliant VOG of Barry – as they say about themselves: “Brewing Banging Beers in Barrifornia, mostly cask & keg”
Great indie beers with fun names such as the Cask range named after Top Gun Characters or the OF&H Inspired “This time next year Rodney” www.vogbrewery.co.uk
Wine : Not that it’s that well known but Wales has over 70 hectares of vineyards – that’s about 70 Rugby Pitches!
Near Abergavenny is www.whitecastlevineyard.com, where Robb & Nicola Merchant are making some lovely wines, including their Pinot Noir Precoce Reserve.
Or look out for the white wine Solaris from www.gwinllanconwy.co.uk, who have 3 000 vines in North Wales.
If you’d like to find more vineyards of Wales, there is a producer listing on www.winegb.co.uk.
Alternatives: For those who prefer a G&T in hand whilst cheering on the team, Wales has a host of tempting Gins – look out for : Da Mhile Seaweed Gin – Infused with seaweed and triple filtered – intriguing burst of salinity.
FWYR Pinwydd Gin – From the Gower with Pink peppercorns, cranberry & Orange Zest Botanicals.
Aber Falls Marmalade Gin – Bring out your inner Paddington!
Above available direct from producers or www.masterofmalt.com have a great selection.
Fiji
FIJI
The beautiful archipelago that makes up Fiji, consists of over 300 islands and is famed for the talent of their rugby players! Picked in Pool C, alongside Wales, Australia, Georgia & Portugal – Fiji face some tough pool matches, but never underestimate the Fijian side. Their recent performance in the Summer series, with their historic – and very well deserved – win against England has shown that. These passionate Pacific islanders have proved they can beat some of the best sides when given space and no other team can be complacent when faced with this vibrant exciting team. October 10th is Fiji National Day, just after the last pool match (on 8th October vs Portugal) so the team will be hoping for a place to celebrate beyond that!
Captain: Waisea Mayacalevu
Player to Watch: The winger Selestino Ravutaumada
For more information on Fiji Rugby: www.fijirugby.com
For full details of the Rugby World Cup 2015 follow: www.rugbyworldcup.com/
What to Eat & Drink whilst watching Fiji
Food: Thanks to the clear waters that surround Fiji, their cuisine features lots of fish and seafood. Octopus and sea urchin to name but a few. They match these with sweet potatoes, cassava and are large producers of Taro (potato like root with purple-ish colour). Fiji experienced a large Indian migration, which means that today its cuisine differs to its neighbouring countries in the presence of curries and spice in Fijian-Indo cuisine. If you want to impress on match day, rather than a standard BBQ in the garden, build yourself a Lovo. Literally meaning “feast cooked in the earth”, dig a hole in the earth (ask Chief gardener of the household’s permission first!), line with coconut husks, light and cover with stone. Then lay meat or fish that wrapped in banana leaves on top. Two to three hours later you should have smoky tender food to enjoy with a pre match beer!
Drink:
Beer: The most sold beer by far in Fiji is Fiji bitter followed by Fiji Gold. There is a great wholesale company www.fijistore.co.uk who list various independent shops around the UK that they supply with Fijian food & drink. They also list some unusual Burger flavoured UFO crisps – but I am not sure how traditional they are! Also look out for Vonu lager from Fiji, and each bottle you buy helps protect a species of local Turtle!
Wine: Right this is where things become a little tenuous! As Fiji, nor Tonga or Samoa are suitable for wine making (well from local proper vines anyway!), this section proves a bit of a challenge. So I have taken the letters of each country to find a wine somewhere in the world that has a (sort of!) link to the Pacific islands – even if it’s only that it comes from New Zealand, which has such strong links with them – and at the same time, hope you discover some more unusual wines.
F is for Frappato. A lovely crisp, red grape variety from Sicily (which is as Fiji, of volcanic soil in places), and made by one of the Islands leading wine producers, the Planeta family. This example from the Vittorio region has lovely raspberry notes balanced with good acidity. Available from https://greatwine.co.uk
I is for Inzolia – staying with Sicily, this clean vibrant white made by Tasca D’Almerita at their Tenuta Sallier de la Tour estate. Expect citrus notes with some herbal touches. Available https://www.tannico.co.uk/
J is for Juice – (I know not a wine either but started reading about this and became intrigued) more specifically Noni Juice, from the greenish white Noni fruit that grows on Fiji and its medicinal benefits sound incredible!
I is for Itata – as in the Itata Valley, a wine region in the south of Chile, so pick up a bottle of Undurraga Candelabro Itata Cinsault. A red variety originating in the Rhone Valley, this comes from bush vines of over 60 years old. Great value – from www.thewinesociety.com
Uruguay
URUGUAY
Beautiful Uruguay suffers from the fact that not many people could place it on a map! Its full name is Republica Oriental del Uruguay and despite being one of the smallest of the South American countries – it has a long history of trading with the UK. One of the most stable counties politically & economically, it is also rather beautiful from the stunning UNESCO protected town of Colonia del Sacramento to the rolling green fields that are home to their great cattle to the party beach scene at Punta del Este – Uruguay deserves a visit!
Uruguay have a tough draw in Pool A. Sadly, they are unlikely to get much further than the pool matches as they have New Zealand and France in their Pool, not to mention Italy and the Africa Cup ‘22 winner of Namibia. But for sheer enthusiasm and passion in the way they play, Los Teros should gain some new fans in the UK. This is all about taking their rugby to the next level for the future, building on their brilliant win against the USA to quality for this years RWC, their fifth tournament, as well as beating Fiji in the last RWC.
Part of the game plan (as well as always hoping for a shock upset against say France!) is surely aiming for the third place in their group, which gives them automatic qualification for the next world cup as well as well as possibly achieving a quarter final place this year. Both Italy and Namibia can expect a challenge!
Captain: Andres Vilaseca
Player to Watch: Tomas Inciarte
For more information on Uruguay Rugby www.uru.org.uy
For full details of the Rugby World Cup 2015 follow : www.rugbyworldcup.com/
What to Eat & Drink whilst watching the Los Teros
Food: Unsurprisingly for a country where cattle outnumber people four to one, beef is big on menus in Uruguay. And having enjoyed many an Asado (BBQ) in Uruguay, I can vouch for the quality of the meat. Unlike many other countries, Uruguayan cattle are still mostly naturally grass fed and even more impressive is their complete traceability system to which 100% of their beef is subject, impressive in these days of food labelling issues. The Parrillero will be a wood fire BBQ with a rack set up similar to an instrument of medieval torture, where the rack can be winched up and down according to the heat required. A real Uruguayan Asado will not only include the usual cuts of beef but also delicious chorizo, black pudding, sweetbreads and chitterlings (if you don’t know what the last are, if I were you, I would not ask!). To lay your hands on some authentic Uruguayan beef – www.tomhixson.co.uk
Similar to Argentina, having an influx in the 19th century of Italian & Spanish immigrants, mean that other principal dishes in Uruguay take their inspiration from these two old world countries. Pasta and gnocchi feature a lot (albeit spelt rather differently – Noquis!) so much so that the 29th of every month is Noquis day in Uruguay! For easy match day nibbles, take a pack of potato gnocchi (look in the fresh pasta section) pan fry with a drizzle of olive oil for 8 minutes till golden (stirring once) or bake them at 190 degrees with a little olive oil for 20 minutes turn once. Serve as they are sprinkled with good sea salt (I like the smoked salt from www.cornishseasalt.co.uk ) or with a dip.
The other perfect match day food is Empanadas – beer in one hand, Empanada in the other – perfect! Think something along the lines of a Cornish pastry, the dough is different but you can use puff pastry as a cheat if short on time. Fillings are traditionally meat, hard -boiled egg and lots of juicy onions. Most of them come designed with giants in mind – but if you want to make it more elegant, make canapé sized ones stuffed with cheese instead. Order direct from www.chango.co.uk (free delivery) – and they freeze really well.
Pancho is a Uruguayan Hotdog (served in a pan de vien bread roll, soft and slightly sweetened) – so could also work on match day – though I would be tempted to upgrade the frankfurter for a more serious sausage! But many locals think it’s more about the toppings and slather with a mixture of mustard, sweetcorn, cheese, onions and salsa gold (basically mayo & ketchup mixed!) – or try the local sandwich – a chivito! An awesome sarnie of grilled beef, cheese, tomato, mayonnaise, boiled egg (sharing is recommended!)
Or for a coastal snack – try making homemade seaweed fritters – Buneuelos de algas – perfect with the Viognier below! Or if you can find some online, do look out for the sustainably produced Caviar from Sturgeon grown in the Rio Negro River.
By the way, for those old enough to remember pies in tins (do they still exist?) did you know that Fray Bentos is an actual place – in Uruguay! And today is on the UNESCO World heritage List!
Drink:
Mate: The national drink of Uruguay is Mate. Made from the dried Yerba Mate plant, it is infused with boiling water. Taste wise, think a rather particular tasting tisane. The locals walk around everywhere (park benches to the beach!) sipping it through silver straws out of small gourds, and it is a sign of friendship to be offered to share Mate. Caffeine rich it could be a good one for the designated drivers!
Beer: Not easy to find in the UK but do look out for Zillertal or even the slightly oddly named Patricia –try through the online specialist beer shops.
Wine: Uruguay is not somewhere that registers on most people’s wine radar when looking for a country from which to drink wine. But their wines are produced by family run estates and sadly they do not export that much to the UK as their production is limited. Thankfully we do see some wines from a few of the leading estates – Juanico and Pisano and they are worth hunting out as are Bodega Garzon and Bouza. Their flagship grape variety is Tannat, a blockbuster of a grape variety, which originated from the Basque region South-West France, from where many of the Uruguayan families emigrated. But it can be very versatile as well producing everything from deep coloured, heavy reds through to Sparkling wines. But other varieties have equally found a happy home in the vineyards of Uruguay including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Marselan.
One of the best places to source Uruguay wines is from the knowledgeable Carla Bertellotti at www.winesofuruguay.co.uk – a great range of whites, reds, sparkling and more. There are lots of small estates that she brings in as well as the more famous names – and she would be happy to arrange a mixed case for you – from aromatic whites through to slightly hipster style Pet Nat – with all the classics in between!
For whites, if you like peachy aromas of Viognier, then try the good value Bodegones del Sur Viognier from Juanico (available as above).
Also on her list, under the same label Bodegones del Sur, for a slightly quirky red – their Cabernet Franc Special Edition is perfect for spicy chorizo and empanadas. Tempting freshness from the Atlantic breeze but backed up with dark brooding fruit!
Staying with more typical grape varieties – Pisano Progreso Tannat Reserve. Lovely brambles note with freshness, a great price – value ratio at under a tenner, this Tannat from one of the loveliest families in the Wine World – Pisano, and made in association with & available from the www.thewinesociety.com
Gran Bodegon. One of Juanico’s flagship wines, this never fails to impress at every outing. A blend of mainly Tannat but also Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Marselan creates a smooth, but powerful complex wine with no rough edges and in perfect harmony. Worth every penny of its £29 price tag. With peppered steak it works fantastically. Available at The Wine Society as above.
Pisano Axis Mundi Tannat is a wine to be savoured. Made only three times when vintage conditions were perfect, its hugely powerful, but with 30 mons in barrels, the elegance shows through. At £49 from the Wine Society as above, this is a wine for celebrating a Uruguay victory! Available at The Wine Society as above.