I didn't make the live match, which was at 5am, but it wasn't too difficult to avoid hearing the score until the replay, which was at 10:30 this morning. In fact, I had to go on a mission to find a place that would show me the game at all. Sierra Leone is not a rugby loving nation, and it's difficult to find it on TV. I usually rely on some South African miners organising the games to be viewed in a bar down my road. But, today this bar was closed. I think my South African miners had been more dedicated than me and watched the game live.
I didn't let this deter me though. One thing in my advantage is that SuperSport of the mighty South African DsTV is the sports channel of choice here. All I needed to do was find a place with SuperSport, and a generator for electricity. This wasn't impossible, and I roamed the streets looking for the local hangouts for watching the European leagues' soccer. The guys here watch the Premier League and Champions League religiously. It gets crazy when Man-U play Barcelona. Each time a goal is almost scored the streets roar with sound of guys beating the walls of corrugated iron "SuperSport Cinemas."
I went to the SuperSport cinema near our office in Aberdeen. It was closed, because there was no soccer on. I asked where a guy could watch some rugby if he wanted to. They said that I should go to Aberdeen New Market and ask for Dennis. So I walked down there and asked some guys sitting on the street. They knew exactly who I was looking for, and they pointed me down an alley where I found Dennis, the master of a SuperSport Cinema. It usually costs Le1000 per person to watch a game, but since I wanted to have exclusive access to the rugby, and because Dennis would have to open up just for me, I paid him a grand Le5000, about $1.
I watched the game in a tin house, with soccer posters all around the walls, and with some guys and kids who were very interested in this strange game. Man, that game was a nail-biter. Couldn't believe we couldn't just get some points on the board! Oh well, not this World Cup for us then. I hope that New Zealand smashes Australia next week. I'll probably be in Segbwema, where finding a SuperSport Cinema will be tricky, but not impossible...
