International Achievers and their Amazing Party Tricks...!

GloriousEmpire wrote:There was a guy called Wayne, who despite knowing nothing about rugby or Any of its laws, managed to referee a quarter final at the rugby World Cup!

Sorry.  

Cyril wrote:Gavin Henson has a trick where he runs into one of his team mate's fists and falls over. It's a bit of a tradition that he likes to repeat at each club he joins.

Apparently it's very popular and players have been known to queue up to have the honour of helping him with his act.

Cyril wrote:Gavin Henson has a trick where he runs into one of his team mate's fists and falls over. It's a bit of a tradition that he likes to repeat at each club he joins.

Apparently it's very popular and players have been known to queue up to have the honour of helping him with his act.

Glas a du wrote:I was at a wedding where Gareth Edwards was a guest. There was a set up where the waiting staff were opera singers who apparently spontaneously burst into song. The waitress sat on Edwards lap, during the Carmen solo, having obviously been tipped off by the father of the bride. I've never seen a man go so red with embarrassment in my life. He didn't do any party tricks.

GloriousEmpire wrote:Not only is Adam Jones one of the worlds most destructive tight head props but rumour has it he can also crochet a whole set of doylies in under five minutes.

Forwards coach Warren Gatland and defence guru Shaun Edwards have both offered tempting bets to any player who can 'bring down' the squad's physical conditioner Paul Stridgeon, a former freestyle wrestler who competed for England at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

At 5ft 8in and 76kg (12 stone) he is a good deal smaller and lighter than all of them and dwarfed by the "big beasts" in the party, but is proud of the fact that no rugby player has ever got the better of him.

This may have something to what happened to the Lions' assistant forwards coach Graham Rowntree, the former Leicester and England prop, when Stridgeon started working for the Rugby Football Union last summer.

"Graham took on the challenge when I first started with England, and I killed him in front of all the lads," he recalled. "They enjoyed that."

Other front-row titans such as ex-All Black Craig Dowd, the former Wasps forwards coach, and Phil Vickery have also tried their luck before, without success.

"Warren and Shaun keep trying to get the players to have a go. We've been offering them good odds, minimum bet £200. I've thrown down the gauntlet and a few fancy their chances, but no-one has accepted yet. It's disappointing."

Stridgeon, 29 on Sunday, is not one for bemoaning his lot though, far from it.

Nicknamed "Bobby", amongst other things, after the Adam Sandler character in a 1998 film "The Water Boy", his energy, enthusiasm and sense of fun have made him a popular figure among the entire squad.

"He is the perfect bloke to have on tour," says Scotland hooker Ross Ford. "He's a livewire, always bouncing about, up to mischief, getting the boys in trouble. He keeps everybody going, there is never a dull moment."

One of Stridgeon's party tricks is being able to clamber up any pole or road sign and hold himself out parallel to the floor, with his feet in the air.

"He tries to break it out wherever possible to impress the boys," notes Ford, sounding suitably impressed.

rainbow-warrior wrote:Copping off with blond ladies in Queenstown when married to a Windsor is popular as is dwarf throwing to the English team:doh: 

rainbow-warrior wrote:Copping off with blond ladies in Queenstown when married to a Windsor is popular as is dwarf throwing to the English team:doh: