RIP David Duckham

Any sports fan – particularly any adherent of rugby union – over the age of fifty will be sad to have learned overnight of the passing on Monday 9th January of the great England centre/wing David Duckham, winner of 36 England caps – 3 with the British & Irish Lions – a one-club man (Coventry) and legendary status thanks to his contribution to the famous 1973 match between the Barbarians and New Zealand which included a length-of the-pitch “team” try scored by Welsh scrum half Gareth Edwards which must stand as a short-list candidate for “Try of Twentieth Century”.

In line with normal Rust practice I shall leave Rusters to read and/or watch Duckham’s obituaries in newspapers and the media.

All I want to offer today are the comments that – to those youngsters of impressionable age – in Duckham’s pomp he not only represented everything to be admired about an attacking rugby union threequarter but, at six feet one and weighing 14 and a half stone, with his blond hair and charismatic “star quality” – alongside fellow centre Yorkshireman John Spencer for England and some of the greatest British & Irish Lions backs of all time including Mike Gibson (Ireland) and John Bevan (Wales) – he came straight from Central Casting as a sporting “hero”.

As a tribute I can offer nothing better than these videos:

Tribute to David Duckham – YOUTUBE

The 1973 Barbarians v New Zealand match – extended highlights –  in which, although he was not involved in the Edwards try, Duckham was probably “man of the match” – see here – YOUTUBE