p35 - Opinion on the Aussies and Poms from 63 to 1990 - Kevin Blackwell UK
Players Mentioned p35-Raudonikis, Gasnier,Reilly, Millward,Raper, Coote,Beetson,Fulton,Reddy,Young.Boyd,McTigue, Millward, Murphy- -
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Kevin Blackwell, England
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Hull Kingston Rovers
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28/03/2007
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In 1963, the 1st test was a night game at Wembley and Gasnier
was at his imperious best. He's still the greatest centre I've
seen. He never looked as though he was moving, but nobody could
get near him. He had class to burn. Then we had the 50 - 12
game at Swinton. The die was cast and I think it gave Australian
players the self belief to upset history. Since then of course
we've only won one test series (1970), but I believe it was
won on the back of my favourite all time player Malcom
Reilly; and Roger
Millward. They were the difference on that Tour.
Many of the series around that time were close and different
players stood just above to make the difference. I believe that
in 67 it was a John
Raper /
Ron Coote combination as the game breakers. The
test when they won in the snow typified the Australian never-say-die
spirit.
In 73 Artie
was head and shoulders above the rest.
In 74 it was Ron Coote's
famous tackle on Steve Nash that broke our resolve.

In 78 we would have won that series but for the half back combo
of Tom R
and Bobby Fulton.
Fulton was the finest captain of a touring team that I've seen
and he lead from the front. Most of the players were young and
inexperienced and making their first Tours, but players like
Rod Reddy
and Craig Young
came up trumps. It was also the best test debut I have seen
in the decider at Headingley. Les
Boyd tortured us for an hour and came off injured,
but by then the game and the series were run.
Apart from 1990 when we was within a minute of squaring the
series, but for Ricky Stuart's breakout and Big Mal
Meninga; since then we've been an embarrassment
since 1978. But then we don't have players of the calibre of
Reilly,
Huddart, McTigue,
Millward,
Ashton, Murphy,
Mick Sullivan.
Personally, I deride the modern game. The scrums are a joke
and the 10 metre rule has killed off the great ball playing
backs like Murphy
and Millward
in the British game. Same in the forwards. In those days you
had to have the skills to break defences, because they were
stood on top of you. Artie
was the best ball playing forward I've seen and McTigue
wasn't far behind.
Appears in the following pages ....P112_Mal MENINGA, P32_Arthur BEETSON, P35_Tom RAUDONIKIS, P43_Les BOYD, P49_Rod REDDY, P51_Malcolm REILLY, P56_Alex MURPHY, P62_Johnny RAPER, P64_Reg GASNIER, P69_Bob FULTON, P85_Roger MILLWARD, P88_Ron COOTE, P94_Craig YOUNG
Date of posting ... 28-Mar-2007
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