Crowborough played host to an international rugby legend and Welsh national treasure over Christmas.
Sir Gareth Edwards, considered by many to be the greatest rugby player of all time, was at Crowborough Rugby Club in Steel Cross for the home team’s clash with Heathfield and Waldron because of an old friendship and a shirt signing invitation.
Edwards, knighted in 2015, was part of the famously awesome Welsh team of the 1960s and 1970s. He played 195 games for Cardiff, 53 times for Wales, 10 times for The Lions, and 11 times for the Barbarians.
In 2003, in a poll of international rugby players conducted by Rugby World magazine, Edwards was declared the greatest player of all time.
In 2007, former England captain Will Carling published his list of the ’50 Greatest Rugby players’ in The Daily Telegraph, and ranked Edwards the greatest player ever, stating: “He was a supreme athlete with supreme skills, the complete package. He played in the 1970s, but, if he played now, he would still be the best. He was outstanding at running, passing, kicking and reading the game. He sits astride the whole of rugby as the ultimate athlete on the pitch”.
A pivotal moment in his career was Gareth Edward’s try for the Barbarians at the old Cardiff Arms Park against New Zealand in 1973. The pictures of Edwards, horizontal and diving for the line have become iconic and “that try” is considered by many to be the best ever.
On the Crowborough Rugby Football Club website, Graham Callard explained how the great man happened to be in Crowborough. “Gareth had travelled up from his home in Porthcawl that morning at the invitation of Stuart Thresher, ex Quins, England A, Barbarians.
“The story goes that Stuart played twice for the Barbarians, once in a 7s tournament when he wore the fabled No.9 shirt. On a whim he was desperate to get the shirt signed by Sir Gareth and somewhat tongue in cheek invited him to Crowborough to do so. Amazingly Gareth accepted and the rest is history.”
The club welcomed Gareth and played host to him for the day with food and speeches.
Mr Callard continued: “‘That’ try was shown on the big screen allowing Gareth to regale us with his experience of the day plus other tales such as the ‘71 Lions tour to New Zealand. There was plenty of amusing stories to be had.
“During the day nothing was too much trouble. I was lucky enough to chat with him about our previous meeting many years ago, and share a photo of him as young man surrounded by a group of ladies, including my dear old mum.”
And to crown a special day for the Crowborough club there was a surprise at the end of proceedings as Gareth presented the club a framed painting of him going over in the corner for “that try”.