Nottingham University Rugby Football Club 1984-87: Memories of Brian 'PIt Bull' Moore, England and British Lions Hooker
I went up to Nottingham University in October 1984, just as Brian Moore had graduated in law the previous July. 'Mooro' was still hanging around Nottingham and playing for Nottingham RFC. He was about to make his debut for England, whose hooker at the time was Coventry and England's Steve 'I haven't got one' Brain....Brian was a shoe in for England hooker and took over from 'Brainy' in 1986. He was vying for the England hooker berth with 'Farmer Graham Dawe' the England and Bath hooker at the time....needless to say Brian saw off the challenge of both of these two 'hard men' and became a British Lion twice over in 1989 in Australia and also in 1995 in New Zealand. Any way on to my anecdote......As a callow 26 year old mature student at Ancaster Hall at Nottingham University in Autumn 1984, I was made Security Representative on the Ancaster Hall Committee in Autumn 1984 as I was a seething mass of rugby playing muscle, and you got paid for 'working the door'. The first event I was asked to 'do security' for was the first Ancaster Hall Disco/Party in early November 1984.....One of my play mates at Nottingham University Rugby Club, knowing that I was on the lookout for 'back-up' on the door at the Ancaster Hall Disco, suggested I might approach Brian Moore, whom I was told could 'handle himself' to police the door with me at Ancaster Hall. This I duly did and an interesting evening ensued.....A drunken 'Townie' tried to gain access to the Ancaster Hall Disco after the local pubs had shut at 10.30pm as we had a 'Late Bar' until 1.00am. The first mistake said 'Townie' made was to refer to Brian's oriental heritage.....and accused him of being a, and I quote: 'Slant-eyed little Chink'....at this unfortunate (for the 'Townie'!) outburst Brian grabbed said Townie and marched him around the back of Ancaster Hall and administered 'one hell of a beating' to quote a certain Danish TV Soccer commentator when England were being put to the sword on the soccer field once more by the rampant Danes....needless to say the miscreant 'Townie' staggered back to his hovel in nearby Beeston and Brian and I continued to enjoy our evening as Doormen together.....Happy University of Nottingham days......Brian coached Nottingham University Rugby Club to the Universities Athletic Union (UAU) Rugby Final in March 1986 at Twickenham where my best mate Brummie Lyndon Eales former captain of local rugby club Camp Hill Old Edwardians captained the NURFC side to a 14-nil defeat by captain Andy Robinson's Loughborough Students XV......Lyndon once kept Will Carling on the bench for England Students, and is the unluckiest rugby player I know.....In the UAU Final he was taken off after 10 minutes with a cut head requiring 10 stitches after clashing heads with his fellow Nottingham University centre Martin Clark...he also had some of the tightest hamstrings in the game of rugby and they could be heard twanging from the sidelines at times during his all too brief rugby career.....Orrrroight Lyndon!!!!! A brilliant Brummie who made his debut at centre for Moseley Rugby Football club against London Welsh, Wales and British Lion Robert Ackerman in October 1984 as an 18 year old 'Freshman' at Nottingham University.... Great rugby memories and days!
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