Memoirs of a rugby test

Amethyst · Wed Jul 15, 2020 5:41 pm

Some "strange" stories to tell, etc. Mine goes back to 1980 when I watched the BIL/Bok test at Newlands as a child. The player's tunnel is under the main stand at Newlands. We sat at the opposite side of the field at ground level and more or less on the 22 metre line. Bill Beaumont was the captain of the Lions. During the main curtain raiser he came out of the tunnel and walked around the field to where we were sitting. He then turned and faced the main stand. He was already wearing his boots, socks, shorts and a tracksuite top. I noticed he had a massive hole at the back of one of his socks, I mean basically the whole calf area. I remember wondering by myself if he was going to lead his side onto the field looking like that. With all the hype of the test starting, I of course forgot to double check on this. I wonder if someone still has footage of that test and maybe confirm the story? I guess Bill himself will know...or maybe not.