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MY TAKE ON SOME OF THE RUGBY NEWS STORIES WHICH COME INTO MY WORLD.
Gabriel David's interview with Gary Sobers
Did a young New Zealand radio presenter once influence the outcome of a Blackcaps cricket test? He thinks he did! Find out how he did it...
8 January 2019
*By Keith Quinn (from his book Quinn's Quips)* Early in my broadcasting career by 1969 I was deemed sound enough by the bosses of the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation to be the regular studio host of the Sports Roundup radio show. It was quite simple broadcasting work and therefore very good for a young bloke to be involved with. But one day I think I played a major role in New Zealand winning a cricket test match! Read on... Read more »
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The moment in 1925 referee Albert Freethy sent Cyril Brownlie on his 'long march' into rugby history.
Nearly 100 years after one of rugby’s greatest scandals, an old scrapbook is dusted off and opened.
20 December 2018
By Keith Quinn Read more »
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The grave of Keith Murdoch in Carnarvon, Western Australia.
Keith Murdoch - One More Story on the Mysterious Life and Lonely Death of the Banished All Black.
9 June 2018
*This Story by Keith Quinn for keithquinnrugby.com:* The discussion of the end of All Black Keith Murdoch's life has recently become been a cheerless one to absorb. The beginnings of the demise of the tough prop forward's playing career is very well known. Read more »
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Colin Meads - At his last public outing.
20 August 2017
The small New Zealand town of Te Kuiti, in the aptly-named King Country turned out in June 2017 for what was to be the last public outing for the districts legendary rugby star, the great Sir Colin Meads. I was honoured to be MC for the day and later wrote this story for 'NZTODAY.' Read more »
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I loved this picture of Meads, aged 34, leading out the All Blacks at the start of the 1970 tour of South Africa. The main team leader Brian Lochore was injured.
Colin Meads - Where does he sit among the All-Time All Blacks? One Man's View.
20 August 2017
I watched a lot of Colin Meads playing on the rugby field. I am of the age that can say that. Shamelessly I can say I loved the way Colin Meads changed the game for previously lumbering second row forwards, which I was myself, albeit at a club level only. Meads showed us all another way to play. Read more »
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Big burly Gordon Wood in his heavy woollen pullover, who became a regular & much-loved touch-judge in 1959. This picture taken in Auckland.
RIP to an Old Lion - A true or tall story?
22 June 2017
This story first appeared in the excellent *NZToday* Magazine's June-July edition. The author knows it is true as he remembers it. Some family members doubt his recall. Read more »
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Every day there is Rugby History 24 June 1995
Click to show The Blitz bokke prevail to win the third Rugby World Cup final.
A dramatic day & a tough match but a 15-12 South Africa win over the All Blacks. Their captain Francois Pienaar received the World Cup from his President Nelson Mandela.
A-Z of Rugby
Click to show BAKER, 'SNOWY'
BAKER, REGINALD ‘Snowy’
New South Wales and Australia
2 internationals for Australia, 1904
Though Reg Baker’s international career of playing halfback in both losses against the 1904 British side reads unglamorously, he is listed in any record as one of the sport’s earliest all-rounders. He became the first man to represent Australia in five sports: rugby, boxing, polo, swimming and diving. He actually competed in 24 other different games! Among his greatest achievements was to represent Australia at boxing in the 1908 Olympic Games, where he lost the middleweight final to J.W.H.T. (‘Johnny Won’t Hit Today’). Johnny Douglas was later an England cricket captain. For the record, the bout was refereed by Douglas’s father!
After his brief rugby career, Baker settled in Hollywood, where he taught film stars to ride, swim, fence and fight. He also starred on screen several times. By then, his younger brother Harald (correct spelling) had also represented Australia in rugby and had won Australian titles in boxing, swimming, water polo, and wrestling. Harald Baker was a lock in three tests against New Zealand in 1914.
It goes without saying that ‘Snowy’ Baker won his nickname for having distinctive blond hair.
10 Questions to well known sporting people
Today's KQ Rugby Quiz
When did an international rugby team play a full game and then travel to another country to play a second full game on the same day?
What do you think?
Click here to show the answer.