Last night we went to the local rugby ground to watch Swansea RFC play the Barbarians. The Barbarian team is chosen mostly from older international players from all over the world and they're brought together to play a few matches a year. Last Sunday they played a Rest of the World 15 (and won) and last night were in Swansea as part of the 150th anniversary of the club celebrations.
It was very special because Alun Wyn Jones, absolute star on the rugby field - I could list all his achievements but just take from me that he's done it all - was captaining the Barbarians against his old club, Swansea.
Back a good number of years Swansea and Neath, another local club, merged to form the Ospreys, so now Swansea rugby team itself is second tier, so there was never any doubt about who was going to win. But the ethos of the Barbarians is 'rugby is fun'. (It used to be mostly about drinking apparently although I'm sure today's internationals are bit more circumspect.) Swansea first played the Barbarians back in 1901!
It was beautiful evening, the ground was packed, and the rugby was great. Not perfect great but full of spirit and sportsmanship. Some generous refereeing too.
And Alun Wyn managed to play for both sides. Half the first half for the Baa-Baas followed by a rest before leading Swansea on in the second half, before another brief respite and coming back to end the game as Barbarian captain.
3 comments:
Glad you had fun!
Sounds like a historic obligation to attend!
WE did, Debra, even though it meant standing throughout.
That's what I thought, Boud.
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