KeithQuinnRugby
Thinking and talking about rugby every day for 50+ years
You are here: Home » News Comment
News Comment
MY TAKE ON SOME OF THE RUGBY NEWS STORIES WHICH COME INTO MY WORLD.
The HSBC World Sevens Rugby Series - A truly Global tour but Won by 'Titch NZ teams' 12 times in the first 17 seasons.
Yet Another Newly Announced 15s All Black was a Gordon Tietjens' NZ Sevens Player first. The full list of similar 'Titch picks' really adds up...
30 May 2016
The first 15-aside All Blacks squad of 2016 has been released by the NZRU. Ardie Savea is one of 6 confirmed new caps. Which means he’s also now a member of another ‘exclusive’ New Zealand rugby club; those who were picked first by Gordon Tietjens as New Zealand sevens reps. That list is now climbing fast towards 50 players. Below is my up-date list of ‘Titch’ All Blacks – or rather – the list of ‘he saw them first All Blacks!’ Read more »
Comments 0
Peter Sellers - Awarded a QSM (Queen's Service Medal) for his work in reporting sport on New Zealand radio.
Peter Sellers - A Man Much Bigger Than Any 'Bloody Pie' Story.
26 April 2016
When I attempt to write a tribute about the late New Zealand broadcaster Peter Sellers it is very hard to know where and how to start. Firstly, anyone who is reading this who lives offshore from New Zealand might be saying now, ‘wasn’t Peter Sellers that very funny and talented British actor/comedian of the 1960s? Didn’t he die in 1980?’ Read more »
Comments 0
Lovely playing surface; Roof closed to keep out the rain; Aging commentator happy - Well done Canada Rugby!
Bravo Canada Rugby! Your new Sevens event set new world standards!
23 March 2016
In many ways it took the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada to set several new standards for hosting and staging tournaments of the HSBC World Sevens series. Read on... Read more »
Comments 0
Good rugby blokes talking about the 'Good Old Days' on the Martin Crowe rugby production 'Test Match Stories. From left; Keith Quinn, Bernie McCahill, Tane Norton and Peter Bush.
RIP Martin Crowe Not Only a Cricketer but a Great rugby producer too.
4 March 2016
These last few days there have been many fine tributes to test cricketer Martin Crowe. After his death the accolades to Martin have all been warm and all deserved.I was never a cricketer of any note but I would like to offer a tribute to him here if I may. Because Martin Crowe became a huge influence in my life. Read more »
Comments 0
Diego Ormaechea of Uruguay - he played til he was 40 - but is he the record holder in this category?
This just in! There's always a question for a rugby stats man - but does anyone know the answer to this one?
10 January 2016
Here is the latest question to test the real rugby experts among us (self-styled or not) You might even call yourself a nerd! But the question has been raised to me in recent days - what is the widest age gap between two players playing in the same team of a full and official rugby test match. Read more »
Comments 0
The dramatic picture which shocked the rugby world after the Lions v Canterbury game of 1971. Sandy Carmichael of Scotland took a hit from someone!
An Obituary for how one game totally affected a top referee's career. RIP Humphrey 'Doc' Rainey of New Zealand
3 January 2016
They say a week in politics is a long time. A lot can change... You could say that for a rugby referee the same principle applies. Back in 1971 Humphrey Rainey of Wellington who died on Boxing Day 2015 at the age of 89, was on his way to perhaps getting the call to control a test match on the British Lions tour Down Under of that year. But a week passed after a highly controversial match - and he did not. Read more »
Comments 0
Login / Register Free
Every day there is Rugby History 14 May 1957
Click to show A little town called Wollongong in Illawarra, Australia, had a rugby moment on this day!
The local Illawarra team played the All Blacks and a young New Zealander called Colin Meads, aged 20, made his AB debut. 15 seasons later he retired as one of the greats!
A-Z of Rugby
Click to show CALDER, the brothers FINLAY and JIM
CALDER, FINLAY
Melrose, Stewart’s-Melville and Scotland
34 internationals for Scotland 1986–91
3 internationals for British Isles 1989
CALDER, JIM
Stewart’s Melville and Scotland
27 internationals for Scotland 1981–85
1 international for British Isles 1983
Twins from a family of four rugby-playing brothers from Edinburgh, Jim and Finlay Calder held a unique place in world rugby: between them they virtually occupied one position in the Scottish team for 10 seasons.
Jim Calder was first into the Scottish team, playing as flanker against France in 1981. From then until 1985 he was a first choice in 27 Scottish test sides, missing only one international right through until the disastrous Scottish season of 1984–85. He scored the vital try against France that clinched the Grand Slam win for Scotland in 1983–84.
Finlay Calder took over his brother’s position as flanker in the Scottish team. His internationals were played consecutively as well, apart from missing one test, because of injury, in 1988 and another in 1989. He announced his retirement after the Scottish tour of New Zealand in 1990 and missed the 1990–91 Five Nations series, but he was then lured out of retirement in time to be back in the Scottish team for the World Cup of 1991.
At one point the Calder brothers had played on the side of the scrum in 55 of the 59 internationals Scotland played from 1981–90. Both had taken part in a Scottish Grand Slam: Jim in 1984 and Finlay in 1990.
Finlay Calder was a Scottish captain in 1988–89 and a British Isles skipper as well. In 1989 he led the Lions to Australia in his usual rollicking good- humoured way – off the field, that is. On the field he was grim and vigorous. The 2–1 test series win was the first the Lions had had on tour for 16 years.
Although the Calder twins did not actually play a test match together they, along with their brother John, were all together in the Scotland party which toured Australia in 1982. The third brother John Calder, also a loose forward, was equal top try-scorer on that tour. He was never capped in a full international match.
In 1990 Finlay Calder was awarded the OBE for his services to Scottish and British rugby.
10 Questions to well known sporting people
Today's KQ Rugby Quiz
From Wyn Gruffydd - the Welsh broadcaster; 'How Do You Know a girl from Cardiff has had an Orgasm?'
What do you think?
Click here to show the answer.