What’s happening here?
It’s Saturday, October 6, 1991 at the old Cardiff Arms Park and Wales, joint hosts of the World Cup, are playing the exuberant Western Samoans – the nation not being retitled as Samoa until 1997 – in their Pool. Veteran Wales lock and Llanelli skipper Phil May has been helped off the pitch in the first half after being the wrong end of a huge Samoa tackle and is now watching the final throes of the game in despair from the bench. Or rather he can’t watch it, Wales are on the cusp of losing 16-13 and it’s too much to bear.
What’s the story behind the picture?
Among other things the great irony of this picture and the calamitous day at the office it portrays is that Wales were one of the few big rugby nations to properly recognise and respect Western Samoa.
While the rest of the Five Nations baulked at touring the ‘minor’ nations which we now stigmatise with the Tier 2 label, Wales, to their great credit, headed off to the South Pacific in 1986 for a trailblazing tour in which they played Samoa in Western Samoa, Fiji in Suva and Tonga in Nuku A’lofa.
Esta historia es de la edición November 01, 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.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 01, 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.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
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.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
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.
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.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
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.
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.
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.
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.
'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.
