Compiled by JOHN O'SULLIVAN
Wilkinson's long European wait over
Jonny Wilkinson will play in his first European final after 13 years of trying when Toulon face Cardiff Blues at Marseille's Stade Velodrome for the Amlin Challenge Cup.
Wilkinson, who lost three Challenge Cup semi-finals at Newcastle, scored 14 points in Toulon’s 19-12 victory over Connacht on Friday night.
The French outfit were joined in the final by Dai Young’s Blues, who defeated Wasps 15-12 at Adams Park on Saturday night.
Wilkinson has not won a club trophy since Newcastle lifted the Tetleys Bitter Cup in 2001.
One-handed international player
IN researching a completely different matter this column came across an Irishman who holds a unique place in the history of international rugby.
Thomas Gisborne Gordon, who was born in Belfast on December 15th, 1851, and died on July 8th, 1935 (83 years old), has the distinction of being the only one-handed/armed man ever to play international rugby.
He won three caps for Ireland making his debut in the first rugby international played between 15-a-side teams: England v Ireland at The Oval on February 5th, 1877.
He managed a second cap against Scotland before completing his international career against the English in 1878 at Lansdowne Road.
He was educated at Rugby school before returning home to play his club rugby at NIFC.
He played Test rugby at half-back and club level in the three-quarter line; quite an achievement for a player with only one hand having lost the right one in a shooting accident.
He was noted to have a keen interest in horse racing and breeding when not preoccupied by his day job as a wine merchant. He is believed to be the only one-handed man to play international rugby.
Schools game must tackle scrum
LEINSTER’S scrum problems in their Heineken Cup defeat to Toulouse last Saturday mirrored those of Connacht whose scrum suffered similar problems in their Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final loss to Toulon. Both Irish provinces struggled to deal with the style employed by the French teams where the tighthead prop comes across at an angle. It’s tough to contend with but Irish props are going to have to learn quickly.
The props took most of the flak but in the case of the Leinster and Connacht scrums, it had as much to do with the fact on several occasions, the provincial backrows were doing meerkat impressions. What is fairer might be to look at the schools game in which the depowering of the scrums could have a negative effect on a generation of props. Player safety is paramount but with the correct coaching there is no reason why the scrum couldn’t return to being more abrasive as a contact area.
Rugby Speak
“I’m proud because this is an immense achievement – this is the sixth time Toulouse have reached the final.”
– Toulouse coach Guy Noves after his side defeated Leinster.
“Cian (Healy) came off and we tried to change the picture a little bit. The scrums probably cost us two to three running opportunities. At this level every one of those counts.”
– Coach Michael Cheika reflects on one aspect of Leinster’s defeat. Having highlighted three all-conquering teams, Seapoint, DLSP J4 and Terenure J5 in Leinster-based tournaments it is only fair to herald the performance of the latter who retained that unbeaten status to the end of the season. They won the O’Connor Cup beating Barnhall in the final. It’s fair to say the president of the Leinster Branch, Des Lamont, a Terenure man, would have been delighted to present the team with a trophy; the second occasion this season.
Home rule too lenient
IT should not surprise anyone to learn John Barclay escaped suspension despite being found guilty of stamping during Glasgow’s Magners League win over Leinster. The Scotland international was cited for vigorously trampling on Leinster flanker Rhys Ruddock’s ankle. The case was heard on Wednesday by an independent Scottish Rugby disciplinary panel, who upheld the citing in a statement added: “The panel did not feel the incident warranted a red card so no suspension was given to the player, who is free to play.”
Ruddock was nowhere near the ball so Barclay’s stamp was gratuitous. It’s high time unions did not rule on their own players. Let the English rugby union preside over Magners League citings and let the Celtic brotherhood reciprocate when it comes to the Guinness Premiership.
