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AB tour diary: Day 3 in London. 7 November 2014
My picture of the WW1 commemorative poppies - and the crowds - at the Tower of London today.
8 November 2014
All Black Diary Day 3; In London, Friday.
There is a general feeling that Steve Hansen is putting out his best All Black XV for tomorrow's game at Twickenham. I'm particularly pleased that Sonny Bill Williams is in to play. He will mark Kyle Eastmond in the midfield and the difference in style will be massive - as well as in sheer size. SBW is 6ft 4inches tall and Eastmond is only 5ft 7. Both come from a rugby league background so will be tough but I see the presence of Williams being a new real plus for the excellence already set this year by New Zealand.
The 'Quinn Group' of the Williment tour did the day trip to see the WWI poppies display today. While it was wonderful to see, for me the size of the crowds pressing the rails and vantage points, just to get a glimpse made it a rather uncomfortable experience. I'm not sure I can cope in crowds like that.
However don't get me wrong; I was very glad to have made the effort. In a matter of days we will see how the French commemorate the same war. But very impressive today.
Tonight our two groups met at gain at the local Stanhope Hotel, which we are already calling 'our local.' More touring conviviality took place. Everyone is very excited by the prospects of going out to the famous 'Twickers' ground tomorrow. For a high percentage it will be a first for them; a rugby fan's highlight, surely.
For me it is another visit from the first I made to Twickenham in 1978. What a privilege it will be to go to 'HQ,' as they call it here - once again!
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Every day there is Rugby History 9 August 2014
Click to show Ouch! The Black Ferns tumble out of the Women's Rugby World Cup.
On this day New Zealand did beat USA 34-3 in Marcoussis, France but other results saw the Black Fern's great run at the previous four Rugby World Cups come to an end.
A-Z of Rugby
Click to show KEANE, MOSS
KEANE, MOSS
Lansdowne and Ireland
51 internationals for Ireland 1974–84
1 international for the British Isles 1977
A dedicated player who became only the third forward from Ireland to reach 50 international appearances. Keane was never a great lineout leaper or scrummager or runner in the open. Rather he played the game in the dark depths of rucks and mauls, where he was as good a grafter as the game has seen. For heart and pride, and the desire to do his utmost for Ireland, he could not be bettered.
Maurice Ignatius Keane first played for Ireland in 1974 in a 6–9 loss to France, but wins in two other matches that season gave Ireland the Five Nations title. In Keane’s fourth international season for Ireland, he made the British Isles team to tour New Zealand, after one of the team’s originals, Geoff Wheel, had to withdraw on medical advice.
Keane was in the Irish team that won the Five Nations championship in 1982 and in the one that shared the title with France in 1983. The other years of his international career were lean: in 52 internationals Keane was only in the winning team 17 times.
Keane had a delightful personality and a wicked sense of humour and many stories, true, exaggerated or otherwise, are still told about him.
In the 1978 New Zealand v Ireland match at Dublin, the Irish were being well beaten in the lineouts, where Keane was marking the All Black giant Andy Haden. The only chance Ireland had to win lineout ball was with their complicated lineout calls, which none of the New Zealanders could decipher. The All Blacks were helped on one occasion when the lineout call went out from the Irish halfback and they heard Keane cry, ‘Oh God no, not to me again’!
Moss Keane was the first Gaelic footballer to play rugby union for Ireland after eligibility rules were changed. He remained an enormously popular figure in Ireland after his retirement from playing.
10 Questions to well known sporting people
Today's KQ Rugby Quiz
How many All Blacks played for New Zealand in 2013?
What do you think?
Click here to show the answer.
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