Unusual Rugby Facts

Thought this would be a good long term topic that could maybe run and run.
I’ll start it off with this.

Did you know that Nigel Walker apparently he never missed an international tackle?
I find it hard to believe but apparently it’s true.

That's because he never attempted one...

Who is the reigning Rugby Union Olympic Champions?

Yup, the USA - have held the title since 1924. Evidence - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union_at_the_Summer_Olympics#1924

Daniel Cudmore (brother of Clermont lock Jamie) plays the character Colossus in X-men 2 and 3.

Richard Hill's (flanker not scrum half) skull is 2cm thicker than the average human!

Bathite wrote:Richard Hill's (flanker not scrum half) skull is 2cm thicker than the average human!

How much thicker is Mike Phillips than the average human ?

Dallaglio sang in the choir on Tina Turner's 'We Don't Need Another Hero'.

French rugby player Gaston Vareilles missed his international debut against Scotland in 1910 … all because of a sandwich. When the team train stopped at Lyon , Vareilles nipped to the buffet. But the queue was so long that by the time he returned to the platform, the train was disappearing into the distance. He was never picked for his country again. (Nicked from t'internet, might even be true!)

it is true. as well as this Wasps missed out on being a founder member of the RFU because they sent their man to the wrong place at the wrong time...

Danny Cipriani was on the tv show "my super sweet 16" on MTV. He was paraded around infront of some spoiled brat as potential arm candy. He didnt make it...

Gavin Henson used to be a rugby player

Manu Tuilagi would have had less problems getting let back into England had he played for Samoa rather than waiting for England

Mike Tindall isnt the only England rugby Captain to oink a Royal in recent years, and people still claim its not an eliteist sport in England.

Mike Tindall is stirring Caleb Ralph's porridge.

disneychilly wrote:Mike Tindall is stirring Caleb Ralph's porridge.

eeeeewwwww.....

Not the thought of Zara btw. Disney, my school mates and me were of the opinion that it is better to indulge the maiden once she has served up the porridge, rather than whilst it is still being stirred

England don't have as many pros as some other home nations fans will have you believe!!!!

BATH_BTGOG wrote:England don't have as many pros as some other home nations fans will have you believe!!!!

Latest figures 'quoted' include gleams in the milkman's eye. We must be up to about 80 million now. For 'high horse' purposes it is perfectly possible for the number of registered English players to be higher than the entire population of England (and to include anyone planning on moving to England).

you don't need an english passport to play for england

caoimhincentre wrote:you don't need an english passport to play for england

Just as well because there's no such thing as an "English Passport"

Kiwireddevil wrote:

caoimhincentre wrote:you don't need an english passport to play for england

Just as well because there's no such thing as an "English Passport"

too-shay kiwi

Probably quite well known amongst those familiar with rugby history, but the first international rugby match in 1871 was between England and Scotland and was won 1-0 by Scotland. This was in the days where 1 point was awarded for a successful conversion .. a "try" scored was exactly that - a "try" at kicking a goal and carried no points itself.

Scotland scored two "tries" to one by England and successfully converted one of them

Davie wrote:Probably quite well known amongst those familiar with rugby history, but the first international rugby match in 1871 was between England and Scotland and was won 1-0 by Scotland. This was in the days where 1 point was awarded for a successful conversion .. a "try" scored was exactly that - a "try" at kicking a goal and carried no points itself.

Scotland scored two "tries" to one by England and successfully converted one of them

Wow. Now that is interesting... never knew that!

French rugby player Jean-Pierre Sault broke his ankle before the 1969 international with Scotland in Paris . About to run on to the pitch, he tripped on the steps leading from the dressing-room.

Wasnt an England vs Scotland game the first sport commentated live on radio? the phrase 'back to square' was invented to describe where on the pitch the ball was....

Contrary to popular belief (held by footie fans and the media) rugby united SA in 1995 not football in 2010

the national anthems before a match started when the all blacks played wales for the first time and the AB did the haka so the welsh fans responded with land of my fathers

Famous rugby players include -

Sean Connery, John F. Kennedy, J.R.R. Tolkien, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Russell Crowe, Chris Farley, Meat Loaf, Ernesto “Che” Guevara

munkian wrote:Famous rugby players include -

Sean Connery, John F. Kennedy, J.R.R. Tolkien, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Russell Crowe, Chris Farley, Meat Loaf, Ernesto “Che” Guevara

Richard Harris also played for Munster.

BridgendBoyo wrote:Wasnt an England vs Scotland game the first sport commentated live on radio? the phrase 'back to square' was invented to describe where on the pitch the ball was....

Contrary to popular belief (held by footie fans and the media) rugby united SA in 1995 not football in 2010

I read before that Square 1 was for soccer radio commentary, where the papers would print a pull out of the pitch with squares and numbers on them on day before the game, then the commentator would say the ball's in square x and so people at home got a picture where the play was?

caoimhincentre wrote:

munkian wrote:Famous rugby players include -

Sean Connery, John F. Kennedy, J.R.R. Tolkien, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Russell Crowe, Chris Farley, Meat Loaf, Ernesto “Che” Guevara

Richard Harris also played for Munster.

Richard Burton played for the RAF during his national service

Ronnie Corbett played second row for his local team. His nick name was "Chopper".

Impressively, from http://wesclark.com/rrr/rg_famous_ruggers.html it states Andre the Giant dabbled in this great game.

Can you imagine the fear that you would literally fill up with if you had to scrum against him! Of course I can only assume that he would have played prop, certainly he wouldn’t be able to jump very high off the ground as a lock, nor would any modern day player fancy the thought of trying to suspend his ample frame in mid-air for a lineout!

Did you know that Wayne Barnes is apparently a fully qualified referee?

One of the original Welsh jerseys was black with a white leek on it

TheGreyGhost wrote:Did you know that Wayne Barnes is apparently a fully qualified referee?

Richie McCaw never cheats

P. G. Wodehouse brother played for England

munkian wrote:One of the original Welsh jerseys was black with a white leek on it

Now flushed red in embarrassment and only the defense maintains the tradition of leaks.

TheGreyGhost wrote:

munkian wrote:One of the original Welsh jerseys was black with a white leek on it

Now flushed red in embarrassment and only the defense maintains the tradition of leaks.

You want embarrassing ?

http://www.south-africa-tours-and-travel.com/images/allblacks-haka-1926-southafricanrugbyhistory.jpg

I was just thinking...isn't it amazing how far photography has come on since Wales last beat NZ.

We only use an egg shaped ball because they used to be made from pigs bladders, which obviously aren't perfectly spherical, and adopted the oval shape when inflated.
Just read this one on the internet right now; the opening game of every RWC has been started with the same whistle,.

You put your left leg in...

mckay1402 wrote:P. G. Wodehouse brother played for England

I didn't even realise he was from New Zealand.

It's on the subject of drop goals.

1. Cliff Morgan never tried to drop a goal in his entire senior career as a fly-half for Cardiff, Wales and the Lions. As a schoolboy, he had won a game with a last-minute drop goal. Instead of praising Cliff the school's rugby master, whom Cliff respected very much, dropped him from the team for two matches for not playing rugby in the true spirit of the game. I'm sure the teacher was wrong, but Cliff Morgan never forgot the lesson!

2. JPR Williams only tried to drop a goal once in his international career and it was crucial to the Lions' series win over the All Blacks in 1971! The occasion was the fourth and final Test when he dropped a goal from 40 metres. The game ended in a 14-14 draw. If the All Blacks had won the game, the Test series would have been shared 2-2. The draw meant the Lions won the series with 2 Test wins to the All Blacks 1 Test win.

This one is the story behind a Western Mail headline in 1956 - "Tarzan Picked For Wales".

Rex Richards was a professional high diver and stuntman from Cross Keys in South Wales, who went to America in the early 1950s where he acted in several Hollywood Tarzan-type films.

In 1956 Rex was capped as a prop for Wales against France - hence the "Tarzan" headline.

He preferred to go back to America, so only got the one cap.

A couple of years later, Rex starred in "The Wild Women of Wonga", a film with the distinction of being in the list of the Top Ten Worst Films ever made!

Basketball was invented by a rugby coach in1891 - Dr. James Naismith was looking for an indoor activity...

Zimbabwe have done what few teams have ever done, they beat New Zealand in a test series.
In 1949 they defeated the All Blacks 10-8 then drew the second test 3-3!

Wales beat England 3-1 in the world cup

TheGreyGhost wrote:

mckay1402 wrote:P. G. Wodehouse brother played for England

I didn't even realise he was from New Zealand.

good one. he's actually south african...

AlynDavies

I do like that fact! Although somebody told me on the old bbc board that the NZRFU didnt count the games against Rhodesia as full tests? Still, thats 1 more win than a lot of countries!

In the past Wales and England have teamed together to defeat Ireland and Scotland on special occasions.
All Four Unions wanted to do these games however both Scotland and Ireland agreed they'd be together before Wales and England had entered the discussion. Neither Scotland or Ireland were prepared to team with England under any circumstances.
Wales and England had the last laugh though as they have beaten the Ireland and Scotland team on every occasion the teams faced off!

The first game was played on 31st December 1955 in Landsdowne Road, Ireland to celebrate the opening of a new stand. The final score was 18-15 to Wales and England.

The second game was 17 October 1959 to celebrate the Twickenham Jubilee, England and Wales won 26 - 17.

Whichever team sided with Wales was expected to be victorious as Wales enjoyed their first "Golden Era" in the 1950's!

Pope John Paul II used to play International rugby Union for Poland.

This thread's great! Good call OP.

Cian Healy is an established DJ and was the opening act at the Oxeygen music festival in Ireland last summer. He's also a skater and graffiti artist.

Tommy Bowe is training for a pilot's licence.

Hong Kong hold the biggest victory in a capped International with a 164 - 13 victory over Singapore on 27th of October 1994.
They scored 26 tries, converting 17 of them. Their Welsh Full Back scored 10 of those tries.
Singapore scored 2 tries themselves, so 28 tries were scored in the game.