Feargal O'Rourke, a fellow rugby memorabilia collector in Dublin, is sharing with us this fine 120+ years old menu of a complementary dinner to the Irish rugby team hosted by Scottish Rugby Union, a rare souvenir of an early international game (the 56th in the History of international fixtures which started in 1871...) between Scotland and Ireland in March 1888... For your records, please note that Scotland won the game in Raeburn Place by one goal to nil...
I don't have pictures of these 1888 teams, but some of the players here sound (a wee bit...) familiar such as C.Reid (later portrayed on a Baines card) and W.E.MacLagan (future captain of the first "Lions" squad to tour South Africa in 1891 - full story here)
It seems that these gentlemen had enjoyed quite a good feast ! some nine toasts (from "to the Queen" to "to the Bonnie Lassies"... just to account for "official" toasts...) and even more courses : oysters, salmon, chicken, haggis, sirloin of beef, turkey, ox tongues, boiled ham... not to forget these very intrigating "devilled sardines" served between the rum baba and the dessert... !
Thanks a lot, Feargal, and "Bon Appetit" !
And now, my 2 cents of rugby history... this menu (say, this match...) could very well be a milestone in the evolution of the game "as we know it"...
As indicated on the menu, both Irish and Scotch team were playing with 1 fullback + 3 backs + 2 halves + 9 forwards. A few months later, in December 1888 vs New Zealand Natives, Wales will introdruce a "revolutionary" organisation consisting in playing with 4 backs, i.e. 2 centers and 2 wingers.
This new organisation, under the ruling of Welsh legend Arthur "Monkey" Gould (here and there), let rugby game evolve from a dribbling and running game to a passing game...
It took several years for other Home Countries to adopt such "Welsh method" as England, Scotland and Ireland kept on playing with three backs untill the end of 1893 Tournament... Since then, the "Welsh Method" has been prevailing all other the Rugby World...
Hot spiced sardines after a rum baba. That's some menu. No fromage. I wonder what the drinks were served besides champagne.
Posted by: Lorenzo23 | 25/05/2010 at 23:53