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About a month ago, I speculated that the Rugby World Cup came four years too late for many of the games’ greats. Had the World Cup been held in 1983, it would have been one hell of a tournament, with all the likely talent available.
So here’s another “what if” fantasy: what if the first-ever Rugby World Cup had been held in 1971?
Those of you familiar with your rugby history would immediately appreciate the significance of 1971.
1971 represented 100 years since the first-ever test match, which was between England and Scotland (won by the Scots). 1971 was also the centenary of the birth of the English Rugby Union (RFU). The Scottish Rugby Union (then SFU) was formed in 1873.
To celebrate and mark the occasion, England played matches against Scotland (lost 6-26) and a President’s XV (lost 11-28). For trivial interest, the President’s XV was as follows:
Piere Villepreux (FRA), Steve Knight (AUS), Jo Maso (FRA), Joggie Jansen (SAF), Bryan Williams (NZL), Wayne Cottrell (NZL), Dawie de Villiers (SAF-vc), Brian Lochore (NZL-c), Greg Davis (AUS), Ian Kirkpatrick (NZL), Colin Meads (NZL), Frik du Preez (SAF), Hannes Marais (SAF), Peter Johnson (AUS), Roy Prosser (AUS).
What if the RFU and their fellow British unions had taken the celebrations one step further, by staging the inaugural Rugby World Cup?
Unfortunately, such foresight and vision wasn’t available in 1971.
It would have been a fascinating first-up World Cup, with no certainty as to who the winner might be. Wales were about to enter a golden period. Could they have done what Uruguay did in the football equivalent?
New Zealand and South Africa were both still formidable, despite the All Blacks implosion against the Lions. They were a team in transition, and much troubled.
The Springboks had gone through Australia undefeated despite widespread apartheid protests. But Australia wasn’t strong in rugby in 1971.
France were their usual dysfunctional selves, but could beat anyone on their day.
Ireland and Scotland were both solid and steady, without being spectacular. England, like Australia, would have brought up the rear!
For the purpose of the exercise, national captains Lochore (NZL), D.deVilliers (SAF) and Telfer (SCO) didn’t retire in 1970, but continued on to the world cup. Co-incidentally, each would have been 31.
Also Carrere (FRA) wasn’t embroiled in a club transfer scandal, youngster Goodall (IRE) deferred his defection to league, Thorne (NZL) returned from South Africa, and the brilliant HO.de Villiers (SAF) recovered from his career threatening injuries. He was still just 26.
Here are some composite teams of the time, with a little tweaking, for your interest.
AUSTRALIA: A.McGill, J.Cole, D.L’Estrange, G.Shaw, J.McLean, R.Fairfax, J.Hipwell, R.McLean, G.Davis (c), P.Sullivan, O.Butler, S.Gregory, R.Prosser, P.Johnson, D.Dunworth. Bench: S.Knight, G.Richardson, M.Barry, M.Flynn, B.Stumbles, J.Howard, R.Thompson.
NEW ZEALAND: L.Mains, B.Hunter, G.Thorne, J.Joseph, B.Williams, W.Cottrell, S.Going, B.Lochore, A. McNaughton, I.Kirkpatrick, C.Meads (c), P.Whiting, R.Guy, T.Norton, B.Muller. Bench: K.Carrington, R.Burgess, C.Laidlaw, A.Wyllie, T.Lister, A.Hopkinson, R.Urlich.
SOUTH AFRICA: HO.de Villiers, S.Nomis, P.Cronje, J.Jansen, G.Muller, P.Visagie, D.de Villiers, T.Bedford, J.Ellis, P.Greyling, J.Williams, F.du Preez, H.Marais (c), P.van Wyk, T.Sauermann. Bench: I.McCallum, A.Roux, J.Viljoen, M.du Plessis, J.Spies, M.Louw, R.Barnard.
FRANCE: P.Villepreux, R.Bertranne, J.Trillo, J-P.Lux, J.Cantoni, J-L.Berot, M.Barrau, W.Spanghero, C.Carrere (c), P.Biermouret, B.Dauga, E.Celeste, J-L.Azarette, R.Benesis, J.Iracabal. Bench: C.Dourthe, J.Maso, M.Pebeyre, J-C.Skrela, C.Spanghero, M.Lasserre, M.Yachvili.
ENGLAND: R.Hillier (c), J.Janion, J.Spencer, C.Wardlow, D.Duckham, I.Wright, J.Page, R.Hannaford, A.Neary, P.Dixon, N.Horton, P.Larter, F.Cotton, J.Pullin, S.Stevens. Bench: P.Rossborough, A.Old, N.Starmer-Smith, R.Taylor, C.Ralston, D.Powell, A.Johnson.
WALES: JPR.Williams, G.Davies, J.Dawes (c), A.Lewis, JC.Bevan, B.John, G.Edwards, M.Davies, J.Taylor, M.Roberts, B.Llewellyn, J.Young, D.Williams. Bench: I.Hall, P.Bennett, R.Hopkins, D.Quinnell, G.Evans, D.Lloyd, N.Rees.
SCOTLAND: I.Smith, W.Steele, J.Frame, C.Rea, A.Biggar, C.Turner, D.Paterson, C.Telfer (c), R.Arneil, P.Brown, G.Brown, A.McHarg, S.Carmichael, F.Laidlaw, I.McLauchlan. Bench: I.McGeechan, I.Robertson, I.McRae, W.Lauder, P.Stagg, N.Suddon, Q.Dunlop.
IRELAND: T.Kiernan (c), A.Duggan, F.Bresnihan, M.Gibson, E.Grant, R.McGann, R.Young, K.Goodall, F.Slattery, M.Hipwell, W-J.McBride, M.Molloy, S.Lynch, K.Kennedy, R.McLoughlin. Bench: B.O’Driscoll, R.Milliken, J.Moloney, D.Hickie, H.Steele, N.Dwyer, D.Barry.
Enjoy the trip down memory lane!
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December 8th 2009 @ 6:52pm
sheek said | December 8th 2009 @ 6:52pm | Report comment
OJ,
Ireland beating NZ in 1971….. fanciful?
Certainly fanciful, I concede, but equally certainly LESS fanciful than at any other time. The ABs were going through a transition stage, & were vulnerable. The Irish team was talented, experienced & settled.
Besides, Irish Lions to NZ in 1971 Gibson, McBride, Slattery, Lynch, McLoughlin & Hipwell would have returned home (for the upcoming WC) with a new belief in their ability to beat the ABs.
The scores between Ireland & All Blacks 1963-78.
1963 NZ 6-5 Lansdowne
1973 Drawn 10-10 Lansdowne
1974 NZ 15-6 Lansdowne
1976 NZ 11-3 Wellington
1978 NZ 10-6 Lansdowne
And Munster beat the ABs. So as I say, less fanciful than at any other time!
PS – did anyone REALLY think the ABs would be knocked out of the 2007 WC at the quarter-final stage????? If I had written that as a fantasy happening before the event, I’m sure I would have been ridiculed!
December 9th 2009 @ 1:59am
ohtani's jacket said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:59am | Report comment
Who’s to say there would’ve been a Lions series in ’71 had there been a World Cup?
The Lions series was the only Test match rugby the All Blacks played that year and I wouldn’t exactly say they were outclassed. The early 70s may not have been a vintage era for the All Blacks, but iIf not for that draw in ’73, they would’ve recorded their first Grand Slam.
December 9th 2009 @ 8:03am
Lazlo said | December 9th 2009 @ 8:03am | Report comment
SHEEK – Thanks for the info on Wilf Rosenberg. But I recall seeing the Ws play the Boks at the old Sports Ground – and I thought that was before ’56. Roddy Phelps played f/b, John Bosler was the half. If your research material lists Rosenberg as playing for the Boks in that game, then I got my years and my schools wrong. You might check for me.
Take a look in that Wallaby book of yours and you’ll see a shot of Bosler and Saxon White, a centre, standing together. I knew Johnny Bos well and he was just a little guy. Today’s halfbacks aren’t big but they pump iron and they have great upper body strength. But Saxon, who played at Kings, was a beanpole. Find the photograph and imagine him having to do something about today’s centres like Nonu and Devilliers and Morto.
Rugby changed and so did the body types.
Re. Cranbrook. You guys beat up on them all the time but surely Cranbrook produced some players of repute?
December 10th 2009 @ 4:06pm
stuff happens said | December 10th 2009 @ 4:06pm | Report comment
Sheek I managed to find this video of some of the 5 nations matches in 1971 which you may like. The quality of the video is excellent and some of the commentary is by the incomparable Bill McLaren. Good stuff – enjoy
December 12th 2009 @ 12:19am
Dublin Dave said | December 12th 2009 @ 12:19am | Report comment
Great nostalgia, Stuff Happens. Nice to see two of my all time favourite wingers: Gerald Davies and Jacques Cantoni. Both of them small men but incredibly elusive and wonderful to watch.
I wonder whatever happened to Cantoni. He only seemed to be on the French team for a few years but he was memorable. Happily, playing as he did in the 1960s and 1970s he never had to endure chants of “Ooo Eee Cantoni” as might have been the case later on.
Shame there are no clips of the Grand Slam match that year when Wales beat France in Paris. Barry John said in his memoirs that it was the greatest match he ever played in. The first Welsh try in particular was memorable. Wave after wave of French attacks, one of which was broken up by an intercept from JPR Williams who took off down the touchline and then, when he realised the cover would get him, he cut inside to make space for Gareth Edwards who was steaming down the touchline, took the pass and scored in the corner.
BTW, in case nobody realises it the other commentator was the great Welsh out half Cliff Morgan.
December 10th 2009 @ 7:51pm
sheek said | December 10th 2009 @ 7:51pm | Report comment
Stuff happens,
That was great – some thoughts…..
Who said England didn’t know how to run ball?
Backline play was so much more inventive back then.
That said, the defence wasn’t always as robust as today.
Wingers still throwing into the lineout in 1971.
The video ref could have been utilised back then!!!
Thoroughly enjoyed it……….
December 12th 2009 @ 1:13pm
stuff happens said | December 12th 2009 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
Dublin Dave & Sheek:
Merry Christmas and see attached from youtube( surely one of the wonders of the modern world). The France/ Wales game Dublin Dave refers to is the second match I think and includes the try.
JPR, Gareth Edwards, Barry John & Gerald Davies and to think they played in the same team at the same time.With Mike GIbson & John Dawes this was virtually the Lions backline that finally managed to beat the All Blacks in ’71.
Agree with Sheek about backline play being more inventive but that defenses were not as robust as they are today.As an attraction our game appears to have gone backwards, but maybe it’s my imagination.
Spiro, notice Gareth Edwards pass from the base of the scrum or lineout – no shuffle at all.
March 11th 2010 @ 3:45am
Ned Nek said | March 11th 2010 @ 3:45am | Report comment
Although England had a bad year in 1971, they were just about to enter a purple patch with wins over South Africa (beaten at home 18-9 at Ellis Park in 1972), Australia (20-3 at Twickenham), and then New Zealand (16-11 in Auckland) all with Pullin at the helm. But perhaps a 1971 World Cup would have come a season early.
March 31st 2011 @ 6:58pm
Vincell said | March 31st 2011 @ 6:58pm | Report comment
This is the first time I’ve seen this thread, but I’m sure all who have replied will enjoy this link – it’s a hypothetical look at what would have happened if the first RWC had been held in 1951. Some of it is quite humorous as well, and although I don’t agree with every call here, it still makes for some good and nostalgic reading.
http://www.ballsout.com/spechistory.htm
Enjoy