# Rugby - Looking To The Future



## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Sorting out some old books I found a rugby gem from 1971/72 that I must have pored over as a 14 year old  It is a small RFU publication called "Touchdown and Other Moves In The Game" priced at 8 shillings (or 40p in that dreadful new decimal currency!). That seems quite a lot of money for the time for a small paperback, two weeks pocket money!

The book is a mixture of tactics, player profiles and light hearted articles, (along with adverts for Rothmans King Size Cigarettes and Twyfords sanitary ware!) how different the game was. There is an article on keeping fit during the close season, swimming and hill walking are recommended  "Trot a bit, walk a bit. There's a hill, let's climb it. Hop along that road. Try some standing long jumps across that field. Run backwards up the next slope" I remember thinking that was a good idea and spent the summer with the town thinking I was a little unhinged running backwards up the hill to the town Market Place :lol:

Anyway the main reason for this post is that the book contains a short section about what rugby would be like in 2001AD, and for this they got the views of a number of leading lights of the game at that time:

*Lord Wakefield of Kendal (Past president of the RFU and former captain of Harlequins, Cambridge University and the RAF)*

Predicted:-

Hoisting and lifting in the lineout

Differential penalty i.e. penalty and free kick

Covered grounds

Mid-winter break

Internationals confined to March and April

*Vivian Jenkins (Oxford Blue, Welsh international and rugby writer)*

Expansion of the game in the USA

World Cup competition (although he hoped it would not happen!)

*Dr. Danie Craven (Former Springbok and past President of the SARFU)*

Many manly elements will be eliminated or softened such as falling on the ball in a ruck or certain types of tackles.

Rugby still has a long way to go before it finishes its evolution.

Differential penalty

Cricket catch from knock-on (i.e. knock on and catch it again isnâ€™t a knock on)

10 yard off-side line at the scrummage

Try should count more than a penalty

Breach with the Rugby League will not be healed

*Teddy Tingling and Elmer Cotton (Sportswear designers)*

Lightweight materials

Spray-on skin

Jock-strap to remain

I am not sue about Teddy Tingling and Elmer Cotton  :lol: Dani Craven in particular got a lot right; I like his comments on the "elimination or softening of many manly elements of the game" ...... I wonder what he would have made of the Stellenbosch Experimental Variation Laws .... especially as that is where he hailed from ... I bet he is turning in his grave!

It was interesting in the article that none of those interviewed predicted the professional game, my guess is that even of they thought it they would not have owned up! It was such an emotive subject at the time.

It has set me thinking though, I wonder what the game will be like in 20 years time??


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## Alexus (Apr 9, 2003)

What a great book to have in your library. Written at time

when there were some of the best rugby players the world has

seen.

Australia and New Zealand will battle it out in Hong Kong

October '08 as part of the Bledisloe Cup Competition between

the two countries.

Could this be the shape of things to come?

20 years from now?

- Covered stadiums

- Artificial turf

- China fielding a competitive team internationally along with a host

of other nations eg. Georgia

- Superbowl commercialism

Alexus


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

JoT said:


> It has set me thinking though, I wonder what the game will be like in 20 years time??


American Football :tongue2:


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

what I want to know is how come you got 4 shillings pocket money!

I only got a sixpence! 

I like the "World Cup competition (although he hoped it would not happen!)"


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

pg tips said:


> what I want to know is how come you got 4 shillings pocket money!
> 
> I only got a sixpence!


That included all my bus fares to rugby games and practices and my match fee  ..... I used to walk / hitch-hike 8 miles and spend the money on other things :lol:


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

NZ 41 - 12 England 

the only place England have scored is the bedroom by the sound of it :taz:

Looking to the future


Jonno will bring some discipline back into the England set up
Rob Andrew will get fired
The RFU will go back to the traditional England kit of an all white shirt (with collar), white shorts and black and white socks
Jonno will ban white and red rugby boots


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## Stuart Davies (Jan 13, 2008)

JoT said:


> NZ 41 - 12 England
> 
> the only place England have scored is the bedroom by the sound of it :taz:
> 
> ...


Whilst were at it can we ban 'Swing Low'  :lol: :lol:


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Stuart Davies said:


> Whilst were at it can we ban 'Swing Low'  :lol: :lol:












OK if you ban Delilah and Max Boyce


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Now its gone professional glad to see they are keeping up with the footballers with the lurid sex stories in the media. :tongue2: When will these guys ever learn :blink:


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## Stuart Davies (Jan 13, 2008)

JoT said:


> Stuart Davies said:
> 
> 
> > Whilst were at it can we ban 'Swing Low'  :lol: :lol:
> ...


With pleasure! :lol:

But don't touch my 'Calon Lan' :tongue2:

"Nid wy'n gofyn bywyd moethus,

Aur y byd na'i berlau mÃ¢n:

Gofyn wyf am galon hapus,

Calon onest, calon lÃ¢n."

_"Calon lÃ¢n yn llawn daioni, _

Tecach yw na'r lili dlos:

Dim ond calon lÃ¢n all ganu

Canu'r dydd a chanu'r nos."

"Pe dymunwn olud bydol,

Hedyn buan ganddo sydd;

Golud calon lÃ¢n, rinweddol,

Yn dwyn bythol elw fydd."

(Chorus)

"Hwyr a bore fy nymuniad

Gwyd i'r nef ar adain cÃ¢n

Ar i Dduw, er mwyn fy Ngheidwad,

Roddi i mi galon lÃ¢n."

(Chorus)


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

JoT said:


> NZ 41 - 12 England
> 
> the only place England have scored is the bedroom by the sound of it :taz:
> 
> ...


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Nalu said:


> JoT said:
> 
> 
> > NZ 41 - 12 England
> ...


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

I'm sure they'll be happy to hear from a Yank on the subject :lol:

I'd add that gridiron teams who adopt 'throwback' uniforms seem to have an unusually strong winning record, at least for a time. It's a very interesting phenomenom.


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