Rugby lives rarely come longer or more varied than that of Tom Holley, who died in January aged 99. Elgton Jenkins Super Bowl Jersey .He was one of the unlucky generation which lost its best years to the Second World War. A product of the St Peters club, he had not long broken into the Cardiff XV as a back row when war broke out in 1939, and was over 30 by the time peace-time rugby resumed in September 1946.While he had the rare distinction of playing for Cardiff either side of the war, his first team career amounted to no more than 10 matches. There were, though, a further 62 for Cardiffs renowned second team, the Rags and victories, more than a decade apart, in the Cardiff and District Rugby Unions Mallett Cup.And he did play once for Wales -- or at least for a team of that name against England in a charity match played between servicemen stationed in Palestine in 1942. His dummy created the decisive score for Wales in a 5-3 victory.But he lives on vividly in Cardiffs annals as their trainer and masseur for decades after the war, also serving the national team. The award of an MBE for services to sport in 1985 -- matching the BEM won in 1943 by his father, also Tom, for heroism in the bombing of the Cardiff docks -- reflected that contribution to rugby, service as secretary of the International Baseball Board (governing body for the distinctive code played in Cardiff and Liverpool) and his cool, live-saving response to an on-field incident 40 years ago this week, on October 2 1976.He was on duty as usual at a Cardiff match, though it was hardly a routine contest. Argentina, visiting Wales for the first time, were the opposition at the National Stadium.The match was part of Cardiffs centenary season and came only a week after they had played, and beaten 24-13, an Overseas International XV featuring players from nine countries, the match decided by a 70 yard interception try from their captain, Gerald Davies.On the Wednesday in between they had lost to Waless other centenarians of that season, Aberavon. The Argentinians, meanwhile, had been warning anyone taking notice of their prowess, scoring four tries to one in beating a powerful East Wales team 25-22 at a rain-sodden Rodney Parade. They had dominated the scrums in spite of the presence of the legendary Pontypool front row among the opposition, hooker Bobby Windsor conceding: Lets face it, they took us to the cleaners.Prominent in that powerful scrum, packing down opposite the venerable but feared Charlie Faulkner, was Mario Carluccio, a product of the Deportiva Francesa club in Buenos Aires. True to Argentinian tradition, he could play either side of the scrum and on the Saturday switched across to face the scarcely less formidable Mike Knill.Cardiff were unchanged from the previous Saturday, while Argentina fielded 12 of the team which had triumphed at Newport, the only changes coming in the front row and because of injury to tour captain Arturo Rodriguez Jurado. And on a bright sunny day, the tourists showed themselves equally equipped for those conditions.Former Wales full-back Vivian Jenkins quipped in his match report that some Cardiff forwards played as though they, rather than their club, were 100 years old. Gareth Edwards made one of his few recorded errors, throwing out a wild pass which led to an Argentinian try.Again the Pumas scored four tries, but where three at Newport came from forwards, all of these were touched down by outside backs. Wing Jorge Gauweloose crossed twice, with the others coming from full-back Martin Sansot and wing Daniel Becca Varela, as the tourists ran up a 29-6 lead.Ca
Rugby lives rarely come longer or more varied than that of Tom Holley, who died in January aged 99. Elgton Jenkins Super Bowl Jersey .He was one of the unlucky generation which lost its best years to the Second World War. A product of the St Peters club, he had not long broken into the Cardiff XV as a back row when war broke out in 1939, and was over 30 by the time peace-time rugby resumed in September 1946.While he had the rare distinction of playing for Cardiff either side of the war, his first team career amounted to no more than 10 matches. There were, though, a further 62 for Cardiffs renowned second team, the Rags and victories, more than a decade apart, in the Cardiff and District Rugby Unions Mallett Cup.And he did play once for Wales -- or at least for a team of that name against England in a charity match played between servicemen stationed in Palestine in 1942. His dummy created the decisive score for Wales in a 5-3 victory.But he lives on vividly in Cardiffs annals as their trainer and masseur for decades after the war, also serving the national team. The award of an MBE for services to sport in 1985 -- matching the BEM won in 1943 by his father, also Tom, for heroism in the bombing of the Cardiff docks -- reflected that contribution to rugby, service as secretary of the International Baseball Board (governing body for the distinctive code played in Cardiff and Liverpool) and his cool, live-saving response to an on-field incident 40 years ago this week, on October 2 1976.He was on duty as usual at a Cardiff match, though it was hardly a routine contest. Argentina, visiting Wales for the first time, were the opposition at the National Stadium.The match was part of Cardiffs centenary season and came only a week after they had played, and beaten 24-13, an Overseas International XV featuring players from nine countries, the match decided by a 70 yard interception try from their captain, Gerald Davies.On the Wednesday in between they had lost to Waless other centenarians of that season, Aberavon. The Argentinians, meanwhile, had been warning anyone taking notice of their prowess, scoring four tries to one in beating a powerful East Wales team 25-22 at a rain-sodden Rodney Parade. They had dominated the scrums in spite of the presence of the legendary Pontypool front row among the opposition, hooker Bobby Windsor conceding: Lets face it, they took us to the cleaners.Prominent in that powerful scrum, packing down opposite the venerable but feared Charlie Faulkner, was Mario Carluccio, a product of the Deportiva Francesa club in Buenos Aires. True to Argentinian tradition, he could play either side of the scrum and on the Saturday switched across to face the scarcely less formidable Mike Knill.Cardiff were unchanged from the previous Saturday, while Argentina fielded 12 of the team which had triumphed at Newport, the only changes coming in the front row and because of injury to tour captain Arturo Rodriguez Jurado. And on a bright sunny day, the tourists showed themselves equally equipped for those conditions.Former Wales full-back Vivian Jenkins quipped in his match report that some Cardiff forwards played as though they, rather than their club, were 100 years old. Gareth Edwards made one of his few recorded errors, throwing out a wild pass which led to an Argentinian try.Again the Pumas scored four tries, but where three at Newport came from forwards, all of these were touched down by outside backs. Wing Jorge Gauweloose crossed twice, with the others coming from full-back Martin Sansot and wing Daniel Becca Varela, as the tourists ran up a 29-6 lead.Ca
