Comments on: The 1955 Lions Tour of South Africa http://www.ruggaworld.com/2006/03/10/the-1955-lions-tour-of-south-africa/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:03:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: il postino http://www.ruggaworld.com/2006/03/10/the-1955-lions-tour-of-south-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-17567 il postino Fri, 10 Mar 2006 09:32:04 +0000 http://www.ruggaworld.com/2006/03/10/the-1955-lions-tour-of-south-africa/#comment-17567 I was good mates at Varsity with Ian Gentles, son of Tommy, still the shortest man to ever play for SA. Ian was a little taller than his dad, but he turned to distance running at university, and did very well, winning a few SAU titles. Tommy used to regale us with stories of his rugby league career at Wigan. He said the skill levels were much higher than anything he saw at union. The players were also harder, he said. A lot of the players he played with and against were semi-professionals who still did shifts on the mines, and didn't have much time for a well-spoken South African university graduate. I was good mates at Varsity with Ian Gentles, son of Tommy, still the shortest man to ever play for SA.

Ian was a little taller than his dad, but he turned to distance running at university, and did very well, winning a few SAU titles.

Tommy used to regale us with stories of his rugby league career at Wigan. He said the skill levels were much higher than anything he saw at union. The players were also harder, he said. A lot of the players he played with and against were semi-professionals who still did shifts on the mines, and didn’t have much time for a well-spoken South African university graduate.

]]> By: DavidS http://www.ruggaworld.com/2006/03/10/the-1955-lions-tour-of-south-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-17298 DavidS Fri, 10 Mar 2006 07:28:39 +0000 http://www.ruggaworld.com/2006/03/10/the-1955-lions-tour-of-south-africa/#comment-17298 And Jack VD Schyf immortalised himself as a pariah in the hearts of South African supporters forever. Shame man. That kick cost us the series, not just the first test. Amazing to see where the tests were that the tourists lost though don't you think? None of the Big Unions managed to beat them, but Western Transvaal, Border, EP beat them and Eastern Transvaal managed a draw. And Jack VD Schyf immortalised himself as a pariah in the hearts of South African supporters forever.

Shame man.

That kick cost us the series, not just the first test.

Amazing to see where the tests were that the tourists lost though don’t you think? None of the Big Unions managed to beat them, but Western Transvaal, Border, EP beat them and Eastern Transvaal managed a draw.

]]> By: JJ http://www.ruggaworld.com/2006/03/10/the-1955-lions-tour-of-south-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-17254 JJ Fri, 10 Mar 2006 06:43:10 +0000 http://www.ruggaworld.com/2006/03/10/the-1955-lions-tour-of-south-africa/#comment-17254 I slept on the pavement in front of the gates at Ellis Park to get to see the first test. I slept on the pavement in front of the gates at Ellis Park to get to see the first test.

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