The weekend just past signalled the beginning of my diamond birthday celebrations. Well if the Queen can have a couple of birthday's why not I?
Twenty of us attended the England v France rugby at Twickenham in a lads and dads day out. A couple of the attendees I had known since we were ten and at school together, and a few were people I had been introduced to, by them, over the years. One chap was an old friend from my working days and several I had met while playing rugby for Twickenham RFC. Indeed one of those used to chase the same girls as me when we were in our early thirties!! All together they were an eclectic group who got on famously.
The match kicked off at 5pm on the Saturday which is not our favourite time to attend, but on this occasion it did give us a chance to visit a local Richmond restaurant, Rock and Rose, for some pre-match tucker , and very good it was too. So with suitable ballast on board, we boarded the bus and sang our way to the ground as we have done for more years than I can remember.
One of my old school friends, Stu, and I have been attending games at Twickenham since early in 1972. We first saw John Dawes Welsh side play. We stood on the old West terrace watching as they beat us comfortably. The only thing that made it bearable was the fact we were in the company of a young Welsh girl from Plymouth, with whom I had plans later. Sadly even that went pear shaped as she had already arranged to meet a lad who was a session musician and singer, elsewhere on the manor.
Some years later when I moved from Croydon to Kingston and started playing for Twickenham RFC, it transpired she married said musician, and he was playing second row at the same Club. We are all still good friends. The subsequent forty years following England around Europe have continued to illustrate just how small the World is, made even smaller by the rugby playing community.
I have played in a few World Golden Oldies rugby festivals over time, and should I do so again, I will be able to wear red shorts. This will mean I can only be caught and held, and not tackled. When I reach 65 I would then be able to wear gold shorts, cannot be touched or tackled and can subsequently run for 15 metres unopposed. That might be worth a go!!!
The celebrations continue in a few days with a family Sunday lunch, after which, like the Queen, I will start to tour some of our colonies. I think I will start with Scotland!!
Showing posts with label John Dawes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Dawes. Show all posts
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Monday, 3 December 2012
We were there
The S Club 5, namely me, Stu, Seamus, Stanley and Scoop, have a brick at Twickenham on the path of legends....it says quite simply, we were there. Never has it been more poignant than on Saturday when England crushed the All Black it what many regard as the greatest game played at Twickenham.
The national press has handed out all the plaudits to the players, coaches and supporters, and already set the expectation that this England side can now build on this result and go places. I won't add to them here, but will explore the greatest game argument.
The S Club and friends have been going to rugby internationals in part or as a whole since 1972. We have seen many memorable games standing on the old South terrace or sitting in the rickety stands of the original stadium, but as the stadium got redeveloped, and the game turned professional, the glory days at Twickenham have become fewer and fewer. Indeed we have regularly highlighted the fact that the game had become the low point of the weekend. Saturday's game most certainly was not, and I would suggest it is the greatest game played at Twickenham in the modern era.
As we are now in our 40th season as supporters it is interesting to imagine which other games we would class as memorable, if not great. Certainly the first ever game in 1972 which was against Wales has to be up there. It was the mighty John Dawes side which had populated the 1971 British Lions which ironically won the series in New Zealand the previous Summer.
Beating Wales is always sweet, and none more so than the Bill Beaumont grand slam year when Paul Ringer was sent off and Dusty Hare kicked a last minute penalty to keep the slam dream alive. Ireland have lit up Twickenham on several occasion's with Mike Gibson and Fergus Slattery providing memorable moments, and Serge Blanco used to deliver with his French side on a regular basis.
I have seen England beat New Zealand three times now, and draw with them 26-26 at Twickenham and they are all up there with the game on Saturday, and the Ella brothers Australia side which did the grand slam on tour provided another highlight. I had already seen them play for Australia schools a few years earlier. As the memory fades, and the record books are referred to more and more my most memorable game at Twickenham will remain that first one. The irony of that is tied into the fact that we watched the first half of the England v New Zealand ladies game after the main event, and they played rugby which was refreshingly open and hugely entertaining, reminding me very much of the seventies and eighties, when there was room on a rugby field to be creative and expressive. In those days route one was a rarely used tactic, indeed, Manu Tuilagi could be the new Charles Kent!!
The national press has handed out all the plaudits to the players, coaches and supporters, and already set the expectation that this England side can now build on this result and go places. I won't add to them here, but will explore the greatest game argument.
The S Club and friends have been going to rugby internationals in part or as a whole since 1972. We have seen many memorable games standing on the old South terrace or sitting in the rickety stands of the original stadium, but as the stadium got redeveloped, and the game turned professional, the glory days at Twickenham have become fewer and fewer. Indeed we have regularly highlighted the fact that the game had become the low point of the weekend. Saturday's game most certainly was not, and I would suggest it is the greatest game played at Twickenham in the modern era.
As we are now in our 40th season as supporters it is interesting to imagine which other games we would class as memorable, if not great. Certainly the first ever game in 1972 which was against Wales has to be up there. It was the mighty John Dawes side which had populated the 1971 British Lions which ironically won the series in New Zealand the previous Summer.
Beating Wales is always sweet, and none more so than the Bill Beaumont grand slam year when Paul Ringer was sent off and Dusty Hare kicked a last minute penalty to keep the slam dream alive. Ireland have lit up Twickenham on several occasion's with Mike Gibson and Fergus Slattery providing memorable moments, and Serge Blanco used to deliver with his French side on a regular basis.
I have seen England beat New Zealand three times now, and draw with them 26-26 at Twickenham and they are all up there with the game on Saturday, and the Ella brothers Australia side which did the grand slam on tour provided another highlight. I had already seen them play for Australia schools a few years earlier. As the memory fades, and the record books are referred to more and more my most memorable game at Twickenham will remain that first one. The irony of that is tied into the fact that we watched the first half of the England v New Zealand ladies game after the main event, and they played rugby which was refreshingly open and hugely entertaining, reminding me very much of the seventies and eighties, when there was room on a rugby field to be creative and expressive. In those days route one was a rarely used tactic, indeed, Manu Tuilagi could be the new Charles Kent!!
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