OPEN INVITATION - Bob Scott's 90th Birthday Bash - NZ, October 8

[Bart]

Kia Ora boys 'n' girls, is the anti-christ here (OK, bart from TheSilverfern), so close.

Anyway, on the weekend of October 8th (Saturday for games, Friday for pre match greet and meet) there is a golden oldies rugby festival in my home town of Whangamata - also the home of legendary All Black fullback Bob Scott - hence the thread title.

So what am I blithering about? Well, if you want to play some oldies rugby while in New Zealand (we are 2 hours south of Auckland airport), this invite is for you.

TheSilverfern runs a team in that tournament - "The SilverFern Barbarian Vikings Invitational XV" to give it the full name, and you're welcome to play.

We already have one of your own on board in NTA, and our resident Frenchman on the Fern, PdP will also be putting in a performance.

So if you're keen, drop me a line at bart@frontrow.co.nz and I can give you details for a fun filled day or two in the mighty burg of Whangamata.

The good news is, you'll get to play with a Fern on your chest, but the jersey is navy blue, as there is only one way to get a black jersey with a fern on the chest, and that is by paying too much money to adidas. Whoops, I mean earning it with selection...

Please note, the TSFBVI XV does not have a no rooting policy in force. However, I feel after the first game we possibly all could be rooted...

[GG moderators, feel free to delete or leave, or even better, sticky as you so desire]

Cheers Bart

 

[barbarian]

So good of you to drop by Bart.

Will be in NZ at that time, in Wellington. I am on this tour thing with quite a strict itinary, so doubt I will be able to make it though. I can vouch for the propping skills of NTA. Although I have never seen him I heard he is quite handy. My only source may be the man himself but still.

 

[Bart]

currently we have 14 props and a squad of 14... I think a tight game will be in order, we should be wearing white and singing slave songs...

 

[cyclopath]

Hey Bart.
I am a possibility to get over there, and even better, I'm not a prop! I mean, you guys need someone to kick to the corners, and knock it on so you can have another scrum, no? I'll let you know if it pans out.

 

[Lee Grant]

That you Bartman? I have to send you a private message about something which I can't do on TSF,

Hands up those who saw Bob Scott play? Well my hand is up. As I have mentioned before I was about 8 years in NZ and I was at the epochal NZ v Boks game at Eden Park in 1956 as a teenager. Anyway they had a charity match on involving the Boks and a Coronation Shield XV a couple of days after that test and Bob Scott played for that team.

He hung around for about 45 minutes afterwards signing every autograph requested, including mine. Still have it. Great player; timeless - would have been great also in the modern game if he were born at the same time as today's players.

The thing I remember about the game is that the Boks hoisted up a bomb and IIRR Butch Lochner (ya gotta love the old Bok names), one who was never one for charity, even in charity games, took a bee-line to the old master at fullback and I thought old Bobbie would break in two. But no - he wasn't where Butch had aimed for. Bob fell with the ball and took it inches from the ground enabling Butch to trip over him and go cart wheeling downfield whilst Bob was picking himself up and running up the park.

Great player, great legend. We over hype the old blokes sometimes but it will not be the case with Bob Scott.

 

[Thomond78]

currently we have 14 props and a squad of 14... I think a tight game will be in order, we should be wearing white and singing slave songs...

But be honest, Bart - however dirty you know it should make you feel, you strangely enjoy it, don't you?

And I thought you were a hooker? I know PdP is/was.

Can't make it, would have loved to, please God, one of these days I will...

 

[Bart]

Both Thomo - prop at club level (and very rarely at rep), and hooker at rep level. Now at halfback weight...

And yes, those white jerseys play my kind of rugby that is for sure...

 

[Bart]

and LG, well done, Bob is still a gentleman's gentleman. Drops in to work all the time and we talk rugby. I've mentioned it before I am sure, one of my favourite stories about Bob is when he was talking about his selection in the Kiwi tema in 1946. He had to TRIAL (half the team was already named, rest had to trial). he was dirty about that to start with. but then he went on to talk about some bloke (I can't remember his name) who was a fullback too and was a better player than him he reckoned. but he couldn't amke the tour, "as he had been machine gunned at Casino". Makes modern day excuses pale in comparison!!

 

[DPK]

Although I have never seen him I heard he is quite handy. My only source may be the man himself but still.

Just pack as many scrums as possible. And keep him away from backs strategy...