Whingeing Aussies need to stop, the real issue is clear

IS CLEAR

- Graham Price

I MUST admit all the controversy over the last-ditch match-winning Lions try made me chuckle somewhat.

I cast my mind back to my own playing days when Wales played against Australia on tour in 1978.

The referees were not neutral in those days and there are plenty of anecdotes about incidents that involved the referees favouring Australia.

John Taylor tells a great story from the Wales tour to Australia in 1969 where an Australian referee made a decision that infuriated John enough to accuse the referee of being a ‘cheating b******’.

Two years later John returned to Australia as a member of the 1971 British and Irish Lions where they played a game against Queensland at the start of the tour.

At a function a day or so before the game, the same referee approached John and advised him that he was the referee for the game and he added: “By the way, I'm still a cheating b*****”

On the Wales tour of Australia in 1978 the referee of our game against Queensland awarded a scrum. Our scrumhalf Brynmor Williams asked: “Is it our ball, ref?” The referee's response was: “No, it’s ours”.

The referee was due to officiate in the first Test match. Our tour management attempted - unsuccessfully - to have him removed.

We could complain as much as we liked but we were met with accusations of being “Whingeing Poms. Get over it” My usual response was “I’m not a Pom, I’m Welsh!”

Well, I'm sure that's what I would have said if I hadn’t been on my way to hospital with a fractured jaw!

Now the shoe is on the other foot. They are “whingeing Aussies” and they should get over it.