A rugby player and a water scientist walk into a room...

Where to next? David Pocock and Richard Stirzaker at the Sowing the Seed event

A packed Senior School lecture theatre listened intently on Tuesday night, as CSIRO scientist Richard Stirzaker and rugby player David Pocock talked about their friendship and their desire to assist small scale farmers in Africa. The Sowing the Seed event was designed to kick-start the annual student-led Dirrum Dirrum Festival.

In the end it became a massive brainstorming session, with those present asking questions and, in turn, being asked what questions they would take away with them.

A proposed live stream of the event experienced technical issues but the video will be placed on the Dirrum Dirrum website soon.

David and Richard have teamed up to test a new soil water device called the "Chameleon Soil Water Sensor” that is being used by small-scale irrigators in Africa.  Just as the bold young entrepreneurs from Thankyou took on some of the biggest corporations in the world in the cause of global poverty, David and Richard are inviting people to get involved in this venture. But it is not immediately clear to anyone what the next step should be.

In an email to Radford’s Director of Community, Fr Richard Browning, and the Dirrum Dirrum organisers this morning, Richard Stirzaker said:

“… What I saw last night was the very early stirrings of a ‘movement’.  Richard (Browning), through Dirrum, is creating an enabling environment for young people. David, through rugby on and off the field, has earned our respect.  Moreover he has a deep understanding of the African situation through 80:20 Vision and practical experience with the instruments themselves.  So the scene was set for me to talk about Chameleons.  Even Rosie’s story (video) is more compelling than it looks on the surface, because it potentially connects her to the women of Africa who carry much of the farming burden.

 Imagine if the Radford event was advertised as “CSIRO scientist to talk about measuring soil water in Africa”.  What size would the audience have been: 10 or 20?  I’ve talked to small groups like this countless times …

Building a ‘movement’ around this is still critical.  Soil physics is boring to most, but turning water into food for the vulnerable on earth is not.   So I think we need a social enterprise that nurtures the movement and builds the business.  I don’t have much aptitude here and welcome ideas.”

If anyone is wanting to continue the conversation, please email richard.browning@radford.act.edu.au or use #dirrum on Twitter.

Dirrum Dirrum: Igniting Action is a major event celebrating the art of being and staying human and over a thousand delegates are expected again this year at various events in Canberra over the days of 29-30 July. Speakers for July 30 are: Nipuni Wijewickrema, Jessica Watson, Akram Azimi, Fr Frank Brennan, Kirsty Sword Gusmão, Rachael Stevens, Shirfra Joseph, Ryan Carters, Shea Spiering, Jackson Taylor-Grant.

The Dirrum Dirrum Festival is organised by students whose core business is about creating a climate of inspiration; fostering a cycle of responsibility and leadership development.

Visit the Dirrum Dirrum website

The above taken from the Radford College website

Apology

Yesterday I faced the judiciary for the first time in my rugby career. I am incredibly disappointed with my actions. I endeavour to play the game I love in a way that reflects the kind of toughness and decency I think rugby can teach us. 

On Saturday night I did not live up to those standards, placing Michael Leitch in danger by binding on his neck in a maul. It was not my intention to hurt Michael, but in these sorts of circumstances it is not intention that matters. I am grateful that World Rugby and SANZAAR are concerned about making the game safer for all of us. 

I would like to take this opportunity to apologise again to Michael. And to apologise to the Chiefs, Brumbies and all those who follow rugby. I'd also like to apologise to my team mates who I will let down over the next few weeks while suspended.

Dave

Australian Story

Last year ABC's Australian Story approached me about doing a story.
I was very nervous about opening myself up to that sort of public scrutiny but after thinking about it decided that it was a good way for people to see past the highly manicured 'Instagram life' that many of us are guilty of portraying through our social media accounts.

I'm very appreciative of the time that Em, my family, including my grandfather in Zimbabwe, and friends gave up to be interviewed and add to the story.

Bone broth in the am

My diet has changed a lot since spending a couple of years out injured. A lot of the things I eat and drink now I would've thought were disgusting/crazy/fattening.
I've slowly dealt with my lipophobia and low carb diet brainwashing and introduced a lot more fat into my diet. I'll share a few things on here as I've been asked a lot about nutrition.

So I'll start with how I start my day:

I try to start every day (especially training or game days) with a mug full of bone broth. It’s a good way to get in some vitamins and minerals and some good quality gelatin. We make it 5 litres at a time in the slow cooker. I got used to it while injured and now a morning doesn't feel the same without it.

2x chicken carcass or leftover bones from a couple of roast chicken dinners or a bunch of wings (you can freeze leftovers until you have enough to make a batch of broth)
2 sticks of celery, chopped in quarters
2 carrots, quartered
2 onions, quartered
a couple of sprigs of parsley
a slug of apple cider vinegar
some peppercorns

Whack everything in the slow cooker and fill to 1cm above the rim. Cook on low for 16-24 hours. Strain, discarding the vegetables and chicken (if there is meat I left on the bones I usually save this and have it with some mayonnaise and spinach) and freeze the broth in portions until you need it.

Heat and enjoy!

It tastes better than it looks :)
Bone broth in containers ready to be heated up in the morning.

There's so much info online on what you should/shouldn't eat and drink, so I am not going to try and argue the science behind what I do, but rather just share what has worked for me and what I enjoy as part of my daily routine.

Thanks for the messages

Over the last six months I've received a lot of messages through my website - most of them were sent during or just after the Rugby World Cup. I didn't get to read many until after the RWC but did read them all during the off-season in November and December.

Thank you if you sent one - there were some really amazing messages and stories. I'm sorry I can't reply to them all individually, but will be trying to put posts on here more regularly based around the questions I was asked - mostly around diet, training, injury and motivation.

Thanks again if you did send me a message. I really appreciate the support and if you do have any questions for me - you can write a message here or contact me on Twitter.   

Australia Day ACT Ambassador 2016 Media Launch speech

It’s a real pleasure and honour to be addressing you today and I want to start by thanking Chief Minister Andrew Barr and the Australia Day Ambassador Program for giving me the opportunity to be a 2016 Australia Day Ambassador for the ACT.

I may seem like an unconventional choice, having only moved to Australia in 2002 as a 14 year old, but I guess for many who are now Australian this is a familiar story.  Australia is a remarkably diverse land with an equally diverse people, and moving to Australia has offered me and my family a great many opportunities which would not have been possible were it not for the many things that make Australia such a great nation.

We have much to be proud of as a nation and Australia Day provides us with an opportunity to celebrate many qualities of our shared lives: We celebrate our rich diversity, we celebrate how we are able to embrace challenges to develop our gifts, skills and talents and to contribute to the common good.  We celebrate the sense of mateship that is still at the heart and core of our way of life as a nation.

We celebrate and honour Australians like former lieutenant-general David Morrison (ACT Australian of the Year), Professor Greg Tegart (ACT Senior Australian of the Year) , Nipuni Wijecwickrema (ACT Young Australian of the Year) and Peter Cursley (ACT Local Hero), and many others from around the country for their outstanding contributions to our society.

Australia Day is also a day to reflect on how we have dealt with, and continue to deal with, the tragedies of our past, and to reflect on the fact that the opportunities many of us enjoy are not available to all in Australia.

We also acknowledge that for Australia’s First Nations Peoples it is a very difficult day, commemorating the arrival of the British and some truly terrible parts of our history.

My hope is that these celebrations will include our intentions to continue to support the equal and life giving opportunities for all of us who are the Australian People.

So this Australia Day, let’s celebrate what is great about Australia, reflect on our shortcomings and renew our commitment to continuing to make Australia a great nation – so that everyone, from our First Peoples to our most recent arrivals (even those that arrive by boat) can live in a truly lucky country.

Zimbabwean lowveld

This '73 Land Rover has got through some serious work. Spending time with Eliot as he drops game scouts off for patrols.

Near Beitbridge, Zimbabwe

Malilangwe ranger selection training session

While I was in Zimbabwe I spent a week with Save African Rhino Foundation and one of the places we visited was Malilangwe - an incredible private wildlife reserve bordering Gonarezhou National Park. We spent some time meeting the people who run their amazing anti-poaching operations. I was invited to spend a few hours training with a group that were going through a selection camp to become rangers. Some amazing athletes - these guys can run all day. It was inspiring to see their drive and dedication to their work.

Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya

During our trip to Kenya we spent a few days at Ol Pejeta Conservancy. They're doing some amazing work with wildlife, cattle and community development.

Rhino handler, Esogon, with the last Northern white rhino on earth.

Zachary and Esogon with a baby white rhino they've been nursing back to full health. They've been feeding him every 4 hours and sleeping next to him every night.

On foot

There is nothing quite like walking through the wild African bush. What a privilege to have this opportunity.
Malilangwe, Zimbabwe

Those eyes. A lioness still feeding on a zebra while the rest of the pride lay around.
Malilangwe, Zimbabwe

Eightytwenty Vision fundraising event in Canberra

Thanks to everyone who came along to the Eightytwenty Vision fundraiser at Teatro Vivaldi last night.

A fun night of food and music. I really appreciate the support from the Canberra community for the work of EightyTwenty Vision. It's fantastic to see people able to connect with the lives of a community in rural Zimbabwe struggling to overcome their circumstances through grit, determination and innovation. 

A huge thanks to Grant Roberts and everyone who helped him organise the evening. A huge effort amongst uni assessment and all Grant's other commitments! 

Notre Dame

We spent the last two weeks at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana. Two solid weeks of training with a game against the USA in Chicago as part of our preparation for the Rugby World Cup .

The long days allowed time in the evenings wandering the campus.

Fair Food: The Documentary

Last year I was excited to be involved in 'Fair Food: The Documentary' which examines the current Australian agricultural system and some of the alternatives. There are screenings around the country or you can organise a screening at your school or in your community. A great way to get people thinking about their food and where it comes from.

"What we do to the animals we do to ourselves." - Chief Seattle. The work of Adrian Steirn.

On a recent trip to Cape Town with the Brumbies (to play the Stormers in a Super Rugby qualifying final) I managed to catch up with Adrian Steirn. Adrian is well known for his 21 Icons project (the first season included the last portrait taken of Nelson Mandela), as well as using images and videos as a means to stimulate discussion and action around a number of issues. I was blown away by his passion for the work that he is doing to highlight the plight of wildlife - especially rhino in Southern Africa, currently being poached for their horns at a rate of 1000+/year. I know rhinos get a lot more press than other species under threat in Africa (African Wild Dog, Pangolin, etc), but that doesn't change that they are infinitely worth saving.

He told me about recently photographing a rhino named Hope. Hope was found alive after having her horn hacked off by poachers. Adrian describes Hope as "a rhino that represents a species on the brink." He documented the hours of surgery and care to save Hope's life and, while the below images are graphic, I believe they are extremely powerful.

"Can you imagine her confusion...as the same species who hacked her face in half are now trying to save her."
- Adrian Steirn

Hope after her third operation.

The people working to protect and save rhinos are truly amazing, putting their safety at risk to protect these magnificent animals. The issues around the trade of ivory and rhino horn are complex and it will take time to reduce demand - in the mean time the tireless effort of game rangers all over Africa is crucial. As is our support.

To support this vital work, check out Save African Rhino Foundation

Adrian Steirn: Instagram and Twitter. Both photographs are his.

Here's a short video that's well worth a watch.
'Thandi's calf: the rhino that should never have been born'

Breakdown drills

Some great breakdown drills. They'll work for most age groups and levels of competition, and you can improvise if you don't have all the pads used in the video.

Laurie is one of the best breakdown coaches I have worked under and has a keen eye for detail and focuses on getting the technique and intensity right at training in order to get the transfer into games.

A couple of the Emus we saw out at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve this morning.  

Cacao Balls by #HITB

Here's a recipe from the amazing Anna Keenan of Hang In The Balance. Her blog is definitely worth checking out.

Made them as an afternoon snack to have while watching some club rugby.

Filling:
2 x 30g scoops protein powder - I used Professional Whey Elite 3.0 in Vanilla
2 x heaped tablespoons cacao powder
3 x tablespoons dessicated coconut
½ teaspoon vanilla powder
good pinch of sea salt
2 x tablespoons coconut cream
2 x tablespoons almond butter
50 ml shot of espresso (cooled), or water

Coating:
50g cacao butter
4 x tablespoons cacao powder
pinch salt
pinch vanilla powder

Method:

Filling:

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix together

2. Add in the nut butter and coconut cream and combine

3. Add in the water or espresso in small amounts. The consistency should be so that it can easily be rolled into balls, but not so wet that the mixture sticks to your hand when trying to roll. If you accidentally add too much liquid, add in a small amount of protein powder and combine again.

4. Leave the mixture in the bowl until the coating is ready
 

Coating:

5. Melt the cacao butter in a pan over a low heat

6. Once fully melted, remove the pan from the heat and add in the cacao powder, salt and vanilla until combined

7. Now, take a small amount of filling and roll into a ball
8. Dip the ball into the coating mixture and place directly onto a plate

9. Repeat until all the filling mixture is used up and place the balls immediately into the freezer
10. Leave in the freezer for 5 minutes, then remove the plate and recoat the balls with the coating mixture by pouring over with a spoon. Pour any excess liquid from the plate, back into the pan.

11. Place the coated balls back in the freezer for another 10 minutes or until set.

12. After ten minutes or so, remove the balls from the plate and into a sealed container, and consume, or store in the refrigerator.

Note - if you have excess coating, simply pour onto folded baking paper or a silicone mat, allow to set in the fridge and you have yourself some sugar free chocolate!

You’ll notice that you’ll only want to eat one or maybe two of these at a time. That’s because they are packed with healthy fats, so a small amount is incredibly satiating - much unlike sugary treats that leave your brain searching for more!

Coconut raspberry treat

We usually keep an ice tray filled with coconut cream in the freezer. It makes making 'healthy treats' a lot easier. I sometimes have this after a big day of training if I'm still hungry after dinner.  

Protein Chocolate Ricotta Squares

Good to have in the fridge for when you need a mid-afternoon snack.. Really nice with a dollop of cream and some rasberries!

40g of 90% (or higher) chocolate
120g butter
120g ricotta
1 tablespoon of almond butter (I just used almonds processed to a butter in a high power blender)
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
240g Professional Whey Elite 3.0 Protein Powder in Vanilla or Cacao
1 tablespoon of cacao
2 tablespoons of sweetener of your choice (I used stevia)
handful of macadamias or pecans, chopped

In a small saucepan combine butter, chocolate, ricotta and almond butter. Melt while mixing to form a paste. Stir through your sweetener and vanilla. Pour into a bowl with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. It will be pretty thick and may require a bit of elbow grease (not literally) to mix it through. Tip into a lined square tin and flatten. Refrigerate and once solid slice into 16 squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Warm ups

These programs should be performed prior to any resistance training program. A thorough warm-up:

• Prepares the body for the following workout, and
• Allows you an opportunity to assess your training potential – your fatigue levels, soreness, potential sites of injury from last training session. It is very important to listen to your body during the warmup.

Downloads:

Upper body warm-up

Lower body warm-up