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.
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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Its the 20-year anniversary of the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Read one man's view on a great but hugely controversial rugby occasion
25 June 2015
So what about that 1995 Rugby World Cup - and especially the final? Well, the whole thing was a great event with the All Blacks playing by far the best rugby of any team at the tournament. That of course was never better shown then in the way they demolished England by 45-29 in the semi-final at Cape Town. Read more »
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The 'Jerry Collins Took the Rap' story is commented upon.
10 June 2015
My story on the late Jerry Collins having to front for a TV interview straight after an All Blacks World Cup defeat in 2003 has been picked up and run on the New Zealand Herald. As a result of that the All Blacks media manager from that New Zealand team has sent his version of events. I thank Matt McIlraith and publish his comments. Read more »
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Jerry Collins makes a long embarassing trudge at Sydney in 2003
The Day Feeble All Black bosses Made Jerry Collins Take the Rap
9 June 2015
My rugby writing friend Frankie Deges of Buenos Aires has this week wondered why I did not include in my website 'tribute' to the life Jerry Collins any mention of the time I was furious with the way Collins was treated by the management of an All Black team which he had just given his guts on the field for... so I publish that story right here. Read more »
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A warm tribute to Jerry Collins by 'Inky' of New Zealand
8 June 2015
Many warm words have been written in recent days about the life of Jerry Collins. However some of the tributes have been of the once-over-lightly variety. This one is written by a Kiwi who prefers to be called 'Inky.' - nothing more nothing lees. I know who Inky is by name and I'll vouch for him as a rugby authority. I liked his tribute so much, with all its excellent new information about Jerry, that I thought i'd run again it here. I know I've kinda pinched it, but thanks Inky old mate! Read more »
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Graham McNally, always working for rugby, especially in Dubai. And a great friend and judge of New Zealand rugby too.
You Read it here first; On a Rainy Afternoon Two men reckon they've picked the 2015 All Black Rugby World Cup team!
4 June 2015
There we were the other day; two blokes sitting at home on a rainy afternoon in Wellington. We had nothing to do except pass the time of day away. The wives were out shopping and like the diligent husbands we are we were waiting at home for them. It was too early for a beer, there was tea in the pot and a new cake on the plate. But when we started talking about the composition of the 2015 All Blacks World Cup team the cake got ignored and the tea went cold. Read more »
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Every day there is Rugby History 27 February, 1990
Click to show Bob Watkins of USA started the ball rolling.
Stern criticism of the 'elite' International Rugby Board was offered by USA Rugby Chairman Bob Watkins at the Asian Pacific Rugby Congress in Hong Kong, leading to the eventual expansion of the IRB from only eight countries to the over 130 nations today.
A-Z of Rugby
Click to show TEMPLETON, BOB
Templeton, Bob
Coaches come and coaches go, but the ever-popular ‘Tempo’ of Queensland and Australian rugby seemed to hang in and hang around forever. He started coaching Queensland in 1961, after a career as a hard-bitten prop with the Grammar Public School’s club side. On and off he coached them until 1988. He succeeded Des Connor as Australian coach in 1971, becoming a national selector as well.
Included in the years ahead were some rocky days for Templeton and the Wallabies. After failing to win a series as coach, he was replaced for the tour to Britain in 1975–76 by Dave Brockhoff. Templeton returned, albeit briefly, before Bob Dwyer had his first term as Wallabies coach, and when Dwyer took over again from Alan Jones in 1988, he took Templeton on board as his assistant.
The ever-cheerful Templeton had most to do with Queensland emerging from the ‘easy-beat’ category to become a world-class team at provincial (or state) level. Under his guidance it achieved a run of 20 straight victories in the 1970s before being forced (by Canterbury, New Zealand) to choke on the special celebration cake it had had baked to celebrate its 21st win!
In times of adversity, Templeton never lost his composure or his voice: he was quick to praise a victorious opponent and was generous in victory. He is remembered as one of the great characters of the Australian rugby scene. Not for nothing did ‘Tempo’ get the MBE for his services to rugby.
When he died suddenly, aged 67, the whole rugby world was stunned. His funeral was the biggest seen in Brisbane in memory.
10 Questions to well known sporting people
Today's KQ Rugby Quiz
In which town or city was the first international rugby match played in Wales?
What do you think?
Click here to show the answer.