PANALBA

An extraordinary sporting drama was played at the end of last month. I am referring of course to The Rugby World Cup Final between New Zealand and France in Auckland. New Zealand prevailed but it was a ‘close-run thing' to paraphrase the Duke of Wellington of the battle of Waterloo. New Zealand's capital is named after the Great Duke. The final score was 8-7 to the All Blacks as the New Zealand rugby team are known.

As the match progressed I became more conscious of the names of some of the All Blacks team. Not surprisingly, most of them are of Scots-Irish, English and Welsh origin. Richie McCaw, the Captain (whose status in New Zealand is equal to the Prime Minister), Stephen Donald, who scored the winning conversion, Tony Woodcock who scored a try - a more English name is hard to find. Adam Thomson and Ali Williams added further Scottish and Welsh character to the side. These players are the descendants of the legendary 1905 all Blacks squad which toured Britain, France and North America.

In North America the All Blacks played against teams in San Francisco and New York. And there was I thinking that Americans don't play rugby. More than half the 1905 squad was made up of Scots including; Billy ‘Carbine' Wallace, Jimmy Hunter, Alex Mcdonald, Hector Thompson, William Johnston, Alan Cunningham, and my namesake Duncan McGregor who ran rings round England scoring four tries at Crystal Palace. Unwittingly perhaps, they brought their clans and families to prominence on the rugby pitch.

But in Auckland last month, perhaps the most alarming thing, if you were French, was that about seven members of the All Blacks were Maoris. Piri Weepu was the most prominent, orchestrating the famous ‘haka' war dance before the match. A more warlike and indomitable race is hard to find. The Maoris had their own battalions in WW2. The 28th Maori Battalion in the New Zealand Division put up a spirited defence of the island of Crete and latterly served in North Africa winning a couple of VCs along the way. Even today there are Maoris serving in Afghanistan.

Another noteable aspect of the Rugby World Cup final was the rendition of the moving hymn ‘I vow to thee my country' which echoed around Eden Park stadium during the post match euphoria and trophy presentation. This hymn was written by Sir Cecil Spring-Rice when British ambassador in Washington in 1917; in despair at the sheer number of fatalities in WW1. It was set to music by Gustav Holst. All horribly poignant, as many of the brilliant players from the 1905 teams were killed on the Western Front and at Gallipoli.

‘I vow to thee my country' is always sung at the Cenotaph remembrance service in London. A service which must be one of the most moving ever devised and performed with great dignity again on Sunday last. It really is a fitting tribute to all those throughout the Commonwealth who gave their lives in both world wars and on military operations since 1945, in what Abraham Lincoln called, ‘that last full measure of devotion'.

Back in Auckland, the music and words were an appropriate backdrop to the outstanding sportsmanship, courage, vigour and quality of play by the All Blacks and France. The sheer discipline and determination of both teams was palpable and a joy to watch. Apparently the French had not played too well before the final narrowly beating Wales. This was the only national team to beat the All Blacks in 1905. Only one defeat and 34 wins from 35 matches. Not bad for a country with a population of only half a million at the time.