KeithQuinnRugby
Thinking and talking about rugby every day for 50+ years
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MY TAKE ON SOME OF THE RUGBY NEWS STORIES WHICH COME INTO MY WORLD.
Offering Knighthoods and talk of him becoming PM are just not fair on Richie McCaw. Back off Kiwis - especially those on TV!!
17 August 2015
Offering Knighthoods and talk of him becoming our Prime Minister are just not fair on Richie McCaw. Back off Kiwis! And give our All Black captain room to be just that! Read more »
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Now that the All Black pre-World Cup tests are over Keith Quinn offers some conclusions as to how the All Blacks might win the big tournament.
16 August 2015
Elsewhere on this website I have offered my views on all of the very public discussion and chat about whether Richie McCaw might or might not be Knighted for his 'Services to Rugby.' But out of the final All Blacks pre-Rugby World Cup game (the 41-13 win over Australia) there were a couple of other good and bad things which also merit discussion. Read more »
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Test Match #2 of the 2015 All Black year is over; Keith Quinn reports.
20 July 2015
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON THE ALL BLACKS V ARGENTINA TEST MATCH 18 JULY 2015 ..... Read more »
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(To the left); The Samoan Head of State, Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi and (to the right) the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi (thanks Ken!) But who's the Palagi in the light blue shirt clapping so keenly?
Test match #1 of the 2015 All Black year is over; Keith Quinn reports
9 July 2015
This is my summary of everything I gleaned about New Zealand v Samoa game in Apia - from the ample sofa at my place in Wellington. Weather, match report, & TV review it's all here. Read more »
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It's always fun when Manu Samoa's supporters are around!
Some stuff You never knew about the rise and rise of Samoa rugby- and New Zealand's role in its early years.
8 July 2015
A brief history of the first years of contact between NZ rugby and Samoa. And Samoa's best moments. Read more »
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Its always worth reading about again; the day Manu Samoa arrived on the Rugby World Cup scene - and beat Wales!
8 July 2015
This is a piece I wrote for a history of the 1991 Rugby World Cup. I tried to capture with dignity (and fairness!?) one of rugby's most memorable days. Though perhaps Welsh fans might not agree! Read more »
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Every day there is Rugby History 17 November 2001
Click to show One of the all time great All Blacks played his first test for the Men in Black.
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20 year old Richie McCaw was the new kid in the team as NZ beat Ireland in Dublin by 40-29
A-Z of Rugby
Click to show ABERAVON RFC
One of the more prominent Welsh clubs, Aberavon was founded in 1876 and is centred at Port Talbot, near Swansea. After a particularly bright period of play in the 1920s, the Aberavon team became known as the ‘Wizards’. The name stuck and today a wizard is incorporated in the club’s monogram.
With the tough industrial and employment conditions associated with the coalfields and steelworks of south Wales in recent years, so has Aberavon undergone tough times. These days the club is semi-professional and has had only modest success. In 2001 it did win the National Division One club league for the third time.
The club had four famous three-quarters in the 1920s – John Ring, Alun Edwards, Syd Williams and Arthur Bassett – but all later switched to rugby league. The club’s 1984 top try-scorer, Kevin James, also left the district to play league. In 1985 he played for Hull in rugby league’s top match of the year, the Challenge Cup final.
Aberavon’s leading cap-winner for Wales is Allan Martin, who played 34 internationals for his country between 1973 and 1981. The big lock also toured with the British Isles to New Zealand (1977) and to South Africa (1980).
Other prominent Wizards from over the years include John Bevan (Welsh international 1975, British Isles tour to New Zealand 1977 and Welsh national team coach 1982–86); Ned Jenkins (21 internationals for Wales 1927–32); Tony O’Connor (five internationals for Wales 1960–62, British Isles tour to South Africa 1962); and Clive Williams (Welsh international prop 1977–83 who later played for Swansea and toured New Zealand with the British Isles 1977 and South Africa 1980). Billy James (1983-87) is the only club player to have captained the Welsh national XV.
One family which had a close association with Aberavon is the family of Richard Burton. The famous actor used to recall that his father always used to say,‘when I die, do not bury me on a Saturday. If you do you will miss watching The Wizards play.”
The Aberavon team plays in red and black hooped jerseys,
10 Questions to well known sporting people
Today's KQ Rugby Quiz
Which New Zealand sports broadcaster once described a tight tennis match as 'a Battle of Nutrition.'
What do you think?
Click here to show the answer.