KeithQuinnRugby
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What's the real story behind this picture? (Click on 'Favourite Photos' here.)
Keith Quinn in front of Ellis Park's Quinn Bread sign - 1976
28 February 2015
This is me at Ellis Park in Johannesburg in South Africa in 1976. Why did this young reporter want to have his picture taken right there? It wasn't just because my name was on the building behind. Click on 'Favourite Photos' here to read about that location's fascinating and sad role in South African rugby history.
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Every day there is Rugby History 25 September 1937
Click to show 'We'll scrum it Sir!'
Epic early words in the game uttered by Springbok captain Phillip Nel to the referee at Eden Park as South Africa win the test series by thrashing NZ by 5 tries to 0 (17-6).
A-Z of Rugby
Click to show INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, The
INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The annual matches played between England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France were known as the Five Nations championship, or the International rugby championship from 1883 to 2000. When Italy joined in 2000 it was logical that the title for the showpiece to be generally known as The Six Nations Championship.
Ii is not widely known that in fact for over 100 years there was no such official tournament by name. The matches played were merely the annual fixtures between the British, Irish and French countries and it was only the media and fans who awarded a ‘Championship’ at the end of the season. There was no official trophy or title at stake. In 1992 official recognition came for the tournament and a trophy was awarded.
Terry Godwin, who wrote a book in 1984 on the international championship’s first 100 years, could find no definite date when public reference to a ‘championship’ was first made. Godwin believed it was near 1893 or 1894, some 10 years after annual matches had begun involving all four British and Irish teams. In the years that followed, only random mention was made to the ‘championship’ winners or ‘wooden spoon’ winners each year. And even when France was added to the list of annual fixtures for the four ‘home’ teams, it was left off published championship tables until after World War I.
The tournament has encouraged its own terminology. A ‘Grand Slam’ is the winning against all five other teams in the same season. A ‘Triple Crown’ refers to British teams winning against the other three home country teams. France or Italy cannot win a Triple Crown.
10 Questions to well known sporting people
Today's KQ Rugby Quiz
Players with the surnames of Jones, Williams and Thomas when added together made up how many players in the Welsh squad at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia?
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5 April 2016 (6 years ago)
bruce123
Hi Keith. Jack van der Schuyff missing a match-winning conversion against the '55 Lions at this ground. Quinns Bakery is the backdrop to that photo of the ball sailing off to the left of the posts, with van der Schuyff hanging his head in disappointment.
7 March 2015 (7 years ago)
Mooloomagic
In 1953 when Waikato played Manawatu the two halfbacks were the late Pat Greene for Waikato and Bill Donaldson for Manawatu. 24 year later their sons were the All Blacks halfbacks in 1977 tour of France . I’d venture this is unique in New Zealand rugby two opposing players whose sons became All Blacks playing exactly the same positions their Dads did for the same province