RWC2015 EXCLUSIVE FAN BLOG: David Reid’s Ultimate Fan Cam Experience

David Reid is the lucky winner of Canterbury’s Ultimate Fan Cam experience, set up to reward the nation’s most committed rugby fan with the incredible experience he is now undertaking. He kicked off his tournnament with Ireland v Italy...

The morning after the night before, did that happen last night? Nothing could take the spring out of my step as I boarded the early morning Sunday train from Doncaster to Kings Cross. England may have been kicked out of the competition by a convincing victory from The Aussies but I was off to watch match 28 of the Rugby World Cup and I was excited for a number of reasons:

I was watching Ireland for the first time (I am a proud English man but my family are originally from Ireland, my roots).

I was watching it at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (first time visiting the stadium after watching in the magic of it on the TV in 2012).

I was taking a good friend of mine who has never watched a live game of international Rugby before, let alone a World cup game, and I knew it would blow his mind.

Upon arriving at Kings Cross there was a buzz in the city, not only was the World Cup taking place but an NFL fixture was happening at Wembley. We took the Victoria Line to Oxford Circus and changed onto the Bakerloo Line, before arriving at our Hotel. Canterbury had hooked us up with a magnificent hotel right on Trafalgar Square. No time to sightsee though, we headed straight out to the Stadium, so we could soak up the atmosphere  in the Fan Zones and mingle with the Rugby family congregating within the park.

Around the stadium and in the fan park fans of all teams in the Rugby World Cup were represented. We all sang, drank and mingled together. The spirit of rugby was truly alive and present, all coming together as one, a union, committed to the game we all love.

As we made our way to seats you could feel the electricity in the air, the ground a sea of green and blue, fans passionate towards the country, nation, sport. The view of the field was magnificent, but in a ground as majestic as the Olympic stadium, are there any poor seats? The stage was set.

The players ran onto the field and the place erupted, pride and passion overflowed. As Ireland's call set into motion the hairs on arms rose, I was carried away with the fantastic Ireland support, and as the chorus came in I could feel myself joining in “shoulder, to shoulder!” I hollered out.

I love the Italian anthem, inno di mameli, an opera of an anthem, rising and falling, the Italians, sang with all their hearts, I just sat back and took it all in, fantastic, Italia! Italia!

The game was a cagey affair with both teams trading blows, the stadium really was like an Ireland home game and they helped to carry the team over the line. We were sat with two Italians and they loved the whole experience as did we, getting swept up in the whole event.

It was a magical experience and as we boarded the train back to our hotel we knew that we nothing could take that buzz away. As we hit lil’ old London Town that evening we knew the craic was defiantly going to be had, and paracetamols would be needed in the morning….

Roll on the quarter-finals!