Study Group Break Up Dinner: Friday 2 December. (LtoR, Rolf, Nikesh, Hester, Amman and Grizzly Adams) 

Beard Progress Photo 

The first Oxford University Colleges XV to defeat Cambridge University Colleges XV at home. I am second row, third from left. 

In the CURUFC club house after beating their College XV 27-3 (D.Waller scored the secon 5 pointer of the game) Massive bloke next to me is Derek, a St Peter's Colleague and former NFL Offensive Lineman for the Dallas Cowboys. He is he studying philosophy.  

Oxford Colleges XV vs Cambridge Colleges XV 

End of Week 5 - Half Way

Sunday 13 November 2005: It is 3.10pm on a sunny but cold sunday afternoon. I slept in til 9.30am this morning and completed my case study essay due on Tuesday morning. I have rugby training for an hour this afternoon from 4.00pm until 5.00pm. It has been a week of up and downs. In some subjects I am struggling in others I am doing well. I wrote 95% of an essay which earned my study group its first A grading this week which was a real highlight. I don't have much time today so I will keep the summary short this week.

Tuesday: After rugby training I joined some of my MBA students to attend the Oxford University Australia and New Zealand Society Ball. It was a fun night but as I was playing rugby on Wednesday I only stayed for 2 hours and drank the one beer. See photos below.

Wednesday: I played virtually a full 80 minutes of rugby on Wednesday as the blindside breakaway got injured in the first few minutes. It really tested my fitness and my defence got pretty sloppy in the second half but I scored a try off a rolling maul and got around the park causing a few turnovers, etc so I was pretty happy with my general performance. We beat the competition favourites Cardiff University reasonably easily in the end.

Saturday: Took the day off the MBA program and escaped from Oxford to watch Australia lose to England at Twickenham. Went with Josh a mate from the MBA program and ran into the Oxford University coach and captain in the stands. We had excellent seats and saw a couple of tries scored in our corner. Ran into ex-Churchie boys Andy McLeod, Al McLeod, Paul Allen and Richard Beconsall after the game and went for drinks with them in Twickenham. Arrived back in Oxford at midnight very tired from too much bus travel. Photos below.

Cheers,
Doug.

Wallaby Try 

England Try 

Two George's 

Lineout 

Lineout 

Josh (US), at Twickenham during Wallaby warm up. 

Kate (Aust MBA), Chris (Canadian MBA) & Me 

Red Beard the Pirate & Adam (US MBA) 

Nina (Aust MBA), Chad (US MBA) & Kate (Aust MBA) 

Ladies 

Gents 

Drinks before Oxford University Australia and New Zealand Society (OUANZ) function. 

Willy O

Sunday 6 November 2005: Just following on from my post yesterday I have added some photos of the MBA crew that I watched the Australia v France Rugby Test with and also from the Oxford Blues game against Tonga.

The Blues played very well in pretty muddy and cold conditions but the Tongans, as expected, proved to powerful and won quite easily. An unexpected highlight was to see Willy O in the Tongan camp. After the game I bailed him up to be in a photo with me and my Aussie Greyhounds team mate Alex.

Willy is a giant and when I shook his hand it felt like I was shaking hands with somebody wearing a baseball mit.

Cheerio,
Doug.

Three Australian rugby players - DW, Willy O and Alex Decosta