A sporting sting in the tail

Having worked earlier yesterday I got home and caught up with the rugby league world cup semi final between England and New Zealand - take note people who complain of spoilers on twitter I managed to avoid all mentions of the score until I finally watched it four hours after the game finished by, shock, horror, staying off social media!
Anyway I digress, an absolutely barnstorming game was in store with England and New Zealand going at each other and England heading into the last ten minutes leading the current world champions by four points. I was left nervously wondering if it would be a big enough lead but England looked set to clinch the win and book a place in the final before a last gasp try by Shaun Johnson put New Zealand level on points and whilst I hoped the conversion would be missed I knew it was highly unlikely and so England crashed out in the cruelest of last minute twists having played so well.
I'll still be looking forward to next week's final and having had a years residency in New Zealand they'll be the team I'm sticking up for against Australia.

And to today where I am still reeling from the game replaying moments in my head and wondering how we let it slip. I was thinking about a picture to link in and spotted these two old rugby balls sat amongst some stuff. They're in need of some air and have never been used to play with having been signed, but most of that has worn off - sorry Jamie Bloem - I'll be keeping them and pumping them up to get them in the hands of my son when he's old enough.
It also led me to thinking about the last ball I did have that was used, it was a Gilbert one because they were all the rage at the time, much as a Mitre was the football to have in my youth, And so I was going to title this picture "I've had a lot of balls" until I re-read that and realised how it actually sounded.