Rugby's Marlon Brando was a wild talent alright
The Rugby Paper|April 05, 2020
A weekly look at the game’s other talking points
BRENDAN GALLAGHER
Rugby's Marlon Brando was a wild talent alright

The debate as to who was rugby’s quickest ever player is perennial and one of those always mentioned is former Harlequins, England and Lions flyer John Young who has recently passed away aged 82.

Young was just an 18-year-old schoolboy at Bishops Vesey’s GS when he won the AAA 100 yards title – the British Championships – in 9.9secs in 1956 on what amounted to a ploughed field at the White City which was always a graveyard for sprinters at the best of times, let alone after a week’s unrelenting rain.

The Pathe newsreel of the Championships centred on Chris Chataway and Doug Ibbotson in the three miles and the youthful Young, declaring that at last Britain had a world-class sprinter and suggesting that even at 18 a place on the GB team for the 1956 Olympics was nailed on.

Alas it didn’t quite work out like that. There was another outstanding win in an Invitation meeting the following week in 9.8 seconds but then came a nasty hamstring tear which needed resting and rehabbing. That tear troubled him for the rest of his sporting career. In the end he didn’t travel to Australia and in fact his athletics career was essentially over.

It’s difficult to judge how quick he might have become but all we can say is that the runner-up that sodden day at the White City, Titus Erinle from Nigeria – any relative of former Wasps centre Ayoola Erinle I wonder? – was a seasoned Olympian.

And in third place the highly-rated Roy Sandstrom took a Commonwealth Games gold medal with England in the 4x100 metre relay in Cardiff in 1958 and a silver medal with the GB sprint quartet at the European Championships that year.

Esta historia es de la edición April 05, 2020 de The Rugby Paper.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición April 05, 2020 de The Rugby Paper.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE RUGBY PAPERVer todo
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
The Rugby Paper

Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash

LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
The Rugby Paper

Dramatic late win boosts leaders

A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
England need to be more consistent
The Rugby Paper

England need to be more consistent

I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
The Rugby Paper

Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver

ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
The Rugby Paper

Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions

TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
The Rugby Paper

Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot

LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.

time-read
1 min  |
November 10, 2024
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
The Rugby Paper

Four-try David calls the shots for Bears

MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
The Rugby Paper

Scott-Young keen to follow his father

TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
When value for money is not part of the deal
The Rugby Paper

When value for money is not part of the deal

ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
The Rugby Paper

'I want to prove my worth to Bath'

OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 10, 2024