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11 February 2015
This is a photograph taken at one of rugby's rarest events. It was a 'secret' test match played at Owl Creek Polo Field in Glenville, New York in September 1981.
The game was watched by the world's 'smallest' attendance at an officially sanctioned rugby test match. 30 'approved' rugby people watched the action (though obviously only on one side of the field.)
South Africa won the game by 38-7. The venue, date, & time of kickoff etc were all kept under wraps so as not to encourage anti-apartheid protests against the South African team. They had just come from a turbulent 3-test, protest ridden tour of New Zealand and were heading home.
In the picture to the right in the headband is the Springbok captain Wynand Claassen.
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A 48 test veteran Jerry Collins tragically died in a car crash in Southern France aged only 34.
HAGET, FRANCIS
Agen, Biarritz Olympique and France
40 internationals for France 1974–87
A no-nonsense French lock whose international career was spread over 14 seasons. At 37, he had the distinction of being the oldest player to appear in the first Rugby World Cup series in New Zealand in 1987.
Haget was a big man, standing 2 metres tall (6ft 6in), and he was a strong lineout jumper. His debut for France was on the tour of Argentina in 1974 and his last games for France were at the World Cup in New Zealand 13 years later. During his rugby days he was croupier at a casino in Biarritz.
Which New Zealand sports broadcaster once described a tight tennis match as 'a Battle of Nutrition.'
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