Saturday, August 12, 2006

Day 119 - My Last Rugby Match - Gnocchi w/ Chicken, Veggies and Cashews in Cream Sauce

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Today I played my last rugby game with Barron. The day's highlight: I played a shift with the A-grade team. (cool, huh?)

The coaches had been prepping me for the possibility of dressing for the A-grade team's bench, their game following ours. The game, against one of our team's main competitors, was tight throughout with each trading tries back-and-forth. With approximately 10 minutes left in the game, our team down by only a few points, the coach called me off the bench to replace another teammate in my position. (holly crap!)

It was a great experience; a fast-paced game that was played at a completely different level than what I'm used to. Although we did end up losing by a few points, I came off the field feeling like I'd made a contribution. Several teammates came up to me and congratulated me on my efforts, everyone aware that this was my first taste of A-grade rugby in Australia. Another great memory for sure.

I'm hoping to have an action picture in my A-grade jersey to share with you guys shortly. I looked pretty tough. *grin*

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Before / after matches, I've always been in need of a plate full of carbs to prepare / replace much needed energy. With so many budget-conscious backpackers staying in Cairns, it's no surprise that there are loads of good value pasta restaurants scattered throughout the city. Fasta Pasta (though the name suggests a lower-than-desired quality) has been a favorite of mine. The below gnocchi became a staple after-game meal. And it has cashews in it ... what's not to like about that??!!

Note: recipe to follow shortly ... I'm trying to bribe one of the line cooks to share it with me.

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