Not long now folks. Rugby World Cup 2015. 20 countries, 48 matches in 42 days. Most Melbournians aside, how much are we looking forward to that? Congregating in pubs, around television sets, on back decks, the Tong Master on duty, so too the CEO – the Chief Esky Operator. Can’t wait.

Remarkable to think this will be the eighth RWC tournament. How time has flown. But hasn’t there been some iconic moments? 1987 – John Kirwan’s 90m try against Italy, Michael Lynagh in 1991, saving the day against Ireland in the quarterfinal, David Campese, throughout the entire tournament, yinging while the defence was yanging. 1995 – Francois Pienaar and Nelson Mandela – Madiba – huddled together with the Webb Ellis trophy, both wearing the Sprinbok No 6.

In 1999 Steve Larkham’s field goal in the semi – how long was that kick – 70 or 80m? And of course in 2003, bloody Johnny Wilkinson, with his right footed snap in extra time in Sydney, sinking the Wallabies hopes of going back to back. We could go on and on, but I won’t because I’d get to the point where the Kiwis finally won again. And nobody wants to relive that. [Read more…]

Given the highly sensitised, politically correct world in which we we now live, I wasn’t at all surprised when immediately after launching Bubble Boys, I was fielding criticism of my scant reference to female athletes.

I thought I’d provided a pretty useful hint in the title as to the subject matter, but alas, some still insisted the focus of the book should have been more equitably shared. (I’m guessing they’re part of the same breed who every November/December, resume campaigning for the introduction of “Person Christmas”, to replace that overweight, outdated 17th century plodder, Father). But I digress.

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Gee. Aren’t there a lot of “what ifs” in sport?

Not a week goes by without an athlete or a fan or an official uttering the words, about something or somebody. What if he hadn’t put his foot over the touchline? What if he’d held onto that mark? What if that pass hadn’t been ruled forward? What if any of those six officials – just one of them – had been able to count to six?

Sliding doors, opening and shutting, altering pathways, defining and redefining careers, turning dreams into nightmares and nightmares into dreams.

Sometimes, as I discovered recently, the “what ifs” occur even before a footy has been kicked or a ball has been bowled. [Read more…]