Date Posted:08:48:32 03/07/06 Tue Author: The Sec Subject: How times change
In bygone years the selection of a rugby team was so easy, rugby was the true game for ALL shapes and sizes. If you happened to be one of the 'fat' boys well obviously you were a prop - which side of the scrum didn't matter.... if you were a psycho then you would be selected at hooker where you had to have a brain defect or you wouldn't play there.... Tall, lanky bean poles (or other unfortunates!) would find themselves in the second row, no lifting in those days.... frustrated threequarters with blood-lust would be fitted into the back row.
The backs followed a different criteria, skinny weedy fellas would operate out on the wings and if one of these could catch (sometimes) then he would become a full-back. Centres were too small to be backrow forwards and then came the real aristocrats the half-backs, some say that these lads were the brains of the side but in truth they were just on the selection committee and were the show-offs of the side.
Substitutes what were they? these were the guys who were great at looking after the bucket and sponge and liked to put on kit and hope that they didn't have to play.
How things have changed.... just look at our side now!