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.
8 November 2014
Aftermatch Report; New Zealand v England; November 8 2014 Read more »
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6 November 2014
ALL BLACK'S "ENGLISH" TEAM Read more »
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26 October 2014
When I was a skinny kid growing up in the King Country the national radio rugby commentator Winston McCarthy was as well known in our country as the All Blacks themselves or other newsworthy personalities like the Prime Minister, the Governor-General or Olympic athletes. Winston became my broadcast hero... Read more »
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22 September 2014
All of this 'media speak' about the Aaron Cruden late night drinking incident in Auckland last weekend already smacks of not everything about its background being told to we of the rugby public. While it could be said - do we fans have a right to know the full facts - I for one would like to think the full facts ought to come out. They would have in the old days of the media. Now it seems everyone, both NZRU and the media, are often together in on a game of 'shoosh - if we only whisper about this, it won't be as bad as it might be.' Read more »
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10 September 2014
Silly me. I know I should be totally delighted that the All Blacks and Samoa have agreed to play a rugby test in Samoa in July 2015 (and I am) but I heard and saw so many comments from the press conference comments in Wellington which still leave me doubtful that the New Zealand Rugby Union is REALLY as committed, as much as they say, to rugby in the Pacific. Read more »
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2 September 2014
While I was away in Nanjing in mid-August I gather the media in New Zealand radio and rugby gave Pete Montgomery of Newstalk ZB in Auckland a good send off at the end of his sports broadcasting career. Read more »
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Auckland fullback Ben Atiga replaced Mils Muliaina near the end of the Rugby World Cup match v Tonga in Brisbane; sadly Atiga's only All Black appearance.
LAWTON, TOMMY (JNR)
Queensland, Natal and Australia
41 internationals for Australia 1983–89
A grandson of the father of Queensland rugby, the Tommy Lawton of Australian rugby in the 1980s was a big bustling hooker who became a powerful figure in Australian rugby. With his aggressive play and imposing presence on the field, Tommy Lawton was a first-choice hooker for Australia every year after his international debut against France in Paris in 1982. However, such was the competition for places in his home area he actually played for his country before he played for his state team.
As a hooker Lawton was one of the biggest of his time. He weighed in at 110 kilograms (17 stone) in his best playing years.
Like all hookers, he delighted in scoring tries, scoring one in 1983 on Cardiff Arms Park in the international against Wales, thus emulating the feat achieved by his grandfather in 1927. In 1988 Lawton had a great game against Scotland at Murrayfield, scoring two tries.
Earlier, in 1986 he played for the Rest of the World XV against the British Isles in the International Rugby Board’s centenary series.
On the tour of Canada and France in 1989 Lawson captained the Australians in three midweek matches.
In 1990 Lawton shifted to Durban in South Africa, where he played hooker for Natal in its first Currie Cup win.
His brother Robbie, a prop forward, played four tests for Australia in 1988.
Who was the player in the All Blacks 1991 World Cup team who played in one test (against Italy) and never played for the All Blacks at any level before or after that game?
What do you think?
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