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Thinking and talking about rugby every day for 50+ years
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'My God, look at the size of this man! Quick! Tell the other villagers we're going back to the boats!'
'The worst thing you can say about any bloke is that he doesn't drink, smoke or go to the races.'
...well it could apply to sport!;
'Lives of great men all remind us,
we can make our lives sublime,
and departing leave behind us
footprints in the sands of time.'
'Rugby has opened many doors for me and it widened my horizons. I am heavily indebted to the game. I repay that debt in 80 minute installments by playing with all my heart; hoping that I will never betray the game's true spirit.'
When asked to define the physical differences between those who play rugby, simply said; 'In rugby there are those who play the piano - and those who shift them'
In 1934 when the Welsh fullback Vivian Jenkins became the first fullback to score a try in a test match the 'Western Mail' newspaper in Cardiff headlined the next day; 'Is this good for rugby?'
'In sport don't ever look back - someone might be gaining on you!'
'Age is mind over matter; if you don't mind, it don't matter.'
When talking about a big hit, (and it could apply to a big kick); 'When it's in the slot, give it the lot!'
'Without spontaneity in any sport, you cannot succeed.'
'Before every game he played Willie Ofahengaue would pray. But it to us it was never clear whether he prayed for himself or for the safety of the opposition!'
'Ideas are easy to conceive, less easy to execute.'
'Live like you'll die tomorrow; farm like you'll live forever!'
'There are only two excuses you can use for missing rugby training - death and docking!'
'If you take big paces, you leave big spaces.'
NZ tumbled out of the 4th Rugby World Cup at the semi-final stage; ahead 24-10 at one stage,
the AB's then leaked 33 unanswered points to lose 43-31.
LAWTON, TOMMY
Queensland, New South Wales and Australia
14 internationals for Australia 1920–32
Tommy Lawton was a stand-off half, or five-eighths, noted for the smoothness of his play, his ability to pass well and his excellent goal-kicking. A Queenslander, he moved to Sydney when rugby went into near recession in Brisbane during and after the First World War.
Lawton was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, winning three blues. He later toured Britain and France with the famous ‘Waratahs’ team – New South Wales – in 1927–28. He was a vital man in that team and scored 127 points, a record for an Australian on such a tour. Decades later the games against international teams on that tour were accorded official Wallaby test status.
In 1929 he returned to Queensland and led the re-formed Australian team against the All Blacks. Lawton was a brilliant tactician and guided Australia to a clean sweep of the three-test series. He was also captain of Australia in one test in 1930 (against Britain) and in 1932 for two tests against the All Blacks. He captained a losing test team only once.
His tally of 60 points – including points scored in the subsequently recognised ‘tests’ of the Waratahs tour – was not beaten as an Australian record until the 1960s.
Tommy Lawton died in 1978 and did not see his name carried on in Australian rugby by his grandsons, Tommy jnr and Robbie, who came into international rugby in 1988.
What is the difference in years between Joe Stanley playing his last test for New Zealand, and Jeremy Stanley being picked to become an All Black and emulate his father’s success?
What do you think?
Click here to show the answer.