This may seem trivial but we all know that when playing for the Barbarians the players wear their club socks. Why then is the 1973 captain John Dawes wearing green socks against New Zealand ?
Here Dawes contributes to the greatest try ever scored.
Maybe they matched the coulour of eyes, maybe his other socks were in
the wash.
Three things are certain it was a great try, the final attempt at a
tackle was high (an offence ine in the 70s) and I don't care what
socks he wore or why.
Mike
I have a problem with OCD and it has been nagging me for 2 days since I watched the video again. But what a game and played in the spirit of the rugby of the old era.
I don't agree with titles but when they chuck them around I can not figure out why Gareth Edwards never received a Knighthood when lesser men got them.
To get 50 caps was a hell of an achievment when he was playing (15 was considered a lot) and he scored 20 try's. Off the field he has been a great ambassador for the game.
Maybe they matched the coulour of eyes, maybe his other socks were in
the wash.
Three things are certain it was a great try, the final attempt at a
tackle was high (an offence ine in the 70s) and I don't care what
socks he wore or why.
Mike
I have a problem with OCD and it has been nagging me for 2 days since I
watched the video again. But what a game and played in the spirit of
the rugby of the old era.
As I watch this game (as I do quite often), I am struck by two things. One, the lack of piano movers cluttering up the middle of the park. Under these old laws, forwards stayed involved around the ruck and maul, and didn't suddenly think they were the latest wing sensation. Ergo, much more space in midfield for the piano players to get on with the game.
Secondly, the handling skills of these players. There are several occasions when the ball is passed down the line to the wing at lightning speed - like nothing you see in today's game. Now, some will argue that the loop pass does the same thing, but to my mind the loop pass allows the defensive player who is missed out to simply crab across the field, and deprive the ultimate ball carrier of room. Quick hands, well timed, make every defensive back commit (or be dummied), and so leaves the final ball carrier with more space.
It seems to me that the modern rules that allow extensive use of the hands after the tackle, deprive the tackling team of the real chance to win possession at the breakdown (unlike 1973), so they stand around the fringes and generally make the place look untidy. And when are they going to do something about this ridiculous nonsense where the team that recycles at the ruck stops dead with the ball in front of the rear foot for an age, while more piano movers line up for a one yard plunge, and we repeat this all over again? If they really want a rule change, it should be a "use it or lose" law right here. The new experimental laws seem to me to not just perpetuate, but encourage more of this. God help us!
I don't agree with titles but when they chuck them around I can not
figure out why Gareth Edwards never received a Knighthood when lesser
men got them.
I agree, the best of them all. Quick as a sprinter (national schools high hurdles champion), and strong as a bull.
Maybe they matched the coulour of eyes, maybe his other socks were in
the wash.
Three things are certain it was a great try, the final attempt at a
tackle was high (an offence ine in the 70s) and I don't care what
socks he wore or why.
Forward passes obviously weren't an offence in the NH then though. Maybe
that's where the All Blacks got it from?
Cheers, aMtt
Indeed. The Welsh attacking play of *that* Lions tour has been emulated in NZ ever since. It wasn't that far forward for those days. Pre camera rails, TMO etc etc. Can we skip the 4 weeks whinging about it?
River Tramp 21 November 2007 21:33:29 [ permanent link ]
Name dropping here, but in the early 70's went to see London Welsh play at Old Deer Park. Usual load of Lions players, & after the game went into the clubhouse for a cup of tea. Got in the queue, and found it was John Dawes serving the teas and collecting the sixpences.
Having started watching/playing rugby because of the 71' Lions, I still remember it as one of my best rugby memories.
Maybe they matched the coulour of eyes, maybe his other socks were in
the wash.
Three things are certain it was a great try, the final attempt at a
tackle was high (an offence ine in the 70s) and I don't care what
socks he wore or why.
Forward passes obviously weren't an offence in the NH then though. Maybe
that's where the All Blacks got it from?
Cheers, aMtt
Indeed. The Welsh attacking play of *that* Lions tour has been emulated
in NZ ever since.
It wasn't that far forward for those days. Pre camera rails, TMO etc etc.
Can we skip the 4 weeks whinging about it?
Indeed, I understand that the referee that day was an uncle of Wayne
Barnes, and taught him everything he knew about reffing.
William Clark
No doubt.
Good to see a golden oldie game again though eh?
The pace, the vision, the high tackling.....
Yes, bloody marvellous. And those sideburns . . .
William Clark
JPR had a decent set of lamb chops. I thought he was great but years later he fixed my old mans back and he said he was an aloof bugger. My cousin was in the Army and played him in squash and said he was not the man he thought him to be, putting it nicely.
Maybe they matched the coulour of eyes, maybe his other socks were in
the wash.
Three things are certain it was a great try, the final attempt at a
tackle was high (an offence ine in the 70s) and I don't care what
socks he wore or why.
Forward passes obviously weren't an offence in the NH then though.
Maybe that's where the All Blacks got it from?
Cheers, aMtt
Indeed. The Welsh attacking play of *that* Lions tour has been emulated
in NZ ever since.
It wasn't that far forward for those days. Pre camera rails, TMO etc
etc.
Can we skip the 4 weeks whinging about it?
Indeed, I understand that the referee that day was an uncle of Wayne
Barnes, and taught him everything he knew about reffing.
William Clark
No doubt.
Good to see a golden oldie game again though eh?
The pace, the vision, the high tackling.....
Yes, bloody marvellous. And those sideburns . . .
William Clark
JPR never needed shin pads, his sideburns gave all the protection you'd
need....
Back in the day there were 2 players I loved watching as a young boy. One was JPR and the other was Jean Pierre Rives. I saw JPR shunt this Frenchman into touch as he was about to go over for a try and I think he knocked him into row 29.
He was scared of nothing although a poor kicker of the ball. He could have become a tennis player instead having won the mens final of Junior Wimbledon, but he wished to become a surgeon. He would often go over to look at injured opposition players but would never decide if a player should go off.
