In June 1989 Dick Laffan had much on his mind but two things in particular: coaching the Waratahs against the British and Irish Lions and educating his son: Matt, terribly bright but wheelchair bound and needing much support having never lived away from home.
First, the rugby. Endless rain had seen it moved from Concord to North Sydney Oval where Laffan had some genuine talent to work with; Nick Farr Jones, Steve “Skylab” Cutler, future world cup winners Roebuck, Campese and Poidevin, and a young Phil Kearns, picked from Randwick seconds months before Bob Dwyer was celebrated for the same assessment. The Lions boasted Ackford, Dooley, Underwood of the RAF, both Hastings brothers and the skipper, Ieuan Evans.
The crowd jammed the venue and saw a real contest. Dick remembers the Queensland referee overly sympathetic to the visiting redshirts failing to observe a fair Darren Junee try. Drop goals from Craig Chalmers were influential. Marty Roebuck dominated the home scoresheet. When the siren sounded the visitors had scraped home, 23-21. Close sure, but a loss.
See rare highlight footage of that game at the bottom, recovered from a dodgy VHS recording of the match. As you can see it was a belter (at times, literally).
So what of Dick’s son Matt? He found his independence and graduated in law, mostly thanks to his residence at St John’s College at Sydney Uni where his many mates took great care of him. Later he was chosen to be godfather of young Jessica Farr Jones, Nick’s first born. He was a real rugby man.
Matt’s congenital challenges caught up with him in 2009 and he passed way leaving behind the inspiration for the Matt Laffan Scholarship. Currently Ben, a wheelchair bound lad, injured playing rugby, is the recipient of the scholarship funded by the annual Laffo’s Long Lunch which this year is the Official Reunion of the 1989 NSW v Lions match and open to Waratahs supporters.
Pretty much all of the 89 Tahs will be there, and likely quite a few of the 2001 Tahs as well – plus other legends of game.
The lunch is at Tattersall’s Club on June 13 (the Thursday before the 2013 Tahs vs Lions match) and more information is at the Matt Laffan Website
Expect rugby, music, poetry and more rugby. And food and drink perhaps.
