OPEN RUGBY founder Harry Edgar was proud to have reached a century of issues in December 1987, but not so keen to celebrate.
“It is not for me to start patting ourselves on the back,” he said. “We know what we are doing to help the game, those who have been involved closely with the magazine also know what we have done and are doing, so we’ll just get on with it.”
Get on with it they did, including a special report titled ‘Referees – A Crisis?’ High-profile coaches are surveyed and offer many recommendations which have been implemented in the years since, including Alex Murphy’s call for “regular meetings… for senior referees and club coaches”, Maurice Bamford asking for a system where officials are ranked and “playing for your place”, and Graham Lowe suggesting “a video of each game should be given to the referee so he can watch his own performance”.
But some of their complaints also sound familiar today, not least a desire for consistency in decision-making. Chris Anderson said “enforcement of new rules fizzled out after just a few weeks of the season”, while Bamford claimed that “some referees think the crowd have come to watch them” in a spiel on ‘play-acting’ officials he compares to Sir Laurence Olivier.
Meanwhile, women made a noteworthy appearance with a report of “Women’s Rugby League on the march”. There are three teams active – Dudley Hill Thunderbirds, Guiseley Angels and Crosfield Ladies – with women said to be involved “thanks to their own initiative, determination and no little courage in the face of old fashioned prejudice”.
The mould was also being broken by its first female columnist, Margaret Ratcliffe, who offered a different approach to interviewing players. In the centenary issue she speaks not only to Doncaster’s David Noble but also his wife Anne, who provides this cutting quote on the Dons’ past lean spell: “The mud is very important, it’s their only tactic.” Ratcliffe then adds: “David didn’t approve of this remark.”
Sadly, the column’s title – “Birds-eye view” – is best left in the 1980s.
ALSO IN 1987
WORLD EVENTS
The first branch of coffee chain Starbucks based outside the USA is opened in Vancouver, Canada.
The Walt Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner and Jacques Chirac, then French Prime Minister, agree to the construction of Euro Disney Resort, now called Disneyland Paris.
Bart and his family make their TV debut as The Simpsons cartoon first appears as a series of shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show.
Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative Party are re-elected for a record third term.
BIGGEST SELLING SONG
“Never Gonna Give You Up” – Rick Astley
TOP UK BOX OFFICE FILM
(according to saltypopcorn.co.uk)
Crocodile Dundee
RUGBY LEAGUE WINNERS
(1986-87)
Championship: Wigan
Premiership: Wigan (v Warrington, 8-0)
Challenge Cup: Halifax (v St Helens, 19-18)
Man of Steel: Ellery Hanley
ANOTHER MEMORABLE SPORTING MOMENT
In a test match against Pakistan, Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar becomes the first player to score 10,000 test runs.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 500 (September 2024)
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