“England’s coach Jack Powell, an immensely successful businessman, has the acerbic wit of Dorothy Parker and, according to most New Zealanders, a similar knowledge of rugby.”
Mark Reason Total Sport (1996)
Following Scotland’s accusations of French foul play: “If you can’t take a punch, you should play table tennis.”
Pierre Berbizier (1995)
On Wales losing 28-9 against Australia: “No leadership, no ideas. Not even enough imagination to thump someone in the line-up when the ref wasn’t looking.”
J.P.R. Williams (1984)
“The job of Welsh coach is like a minor part in a Quentin Tarantino film: you stagger on, you hallucinate, nobody seems to understand a word you say, you throw up, you get shot. Poor old Kevin Bowring has come up through the coaching structure so he knows what it takes … 15 more players than Wales have at present.”
Mark Reason Total Sport (1996)
***“The relationship between the Welsh and the English is based on trust and understanding. They don’t trust us and we don’t understand them.”
Dudley Wood (1986)
“We’ve lost seven of our last eight matches. Only team that we’ve beaten was Western Samoa. Good job we didn’t play the whole of Samoa.”
Gareth Davies (1989)
Before the New Zealand v England World Cup semi-final: “Remember that rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Jonah.”
Anon fax to N.Z. team (1995)