WHAT GOES ON TOUR...
W
E DID our serious
fitness training
early on and were
given a half-day
off, writes Robert
Jones about Wales’ warm-weather
training camp in Lanzarote during
the 1992-93 season. The feeling
was the hard work was out of the
way and we could go on the p***.
We hired bikes and took off on
a ride around the island, stopping
at every pub we came across. We
had quite a few beers. As we left
the last pub heading for home, I
said, “Boys, don’t go berserk now,
we’ve all had a few. Let’s go back
in our own time sensibly.” Then
three or four of them shot off like
they were in the Tour de France.
I was following my own advice,
trundling along with Rob Howley,
as we approached the brow of a
hill. As we got to the top, a scene
of bedlam unfolded in front of us.
Bikes were strewn everywhere,
buckled wheels slowly going
round. Hugh Williams-Jones and
Colin Stephens were arguing,
Mike Griffiths was holding his
shoulder having broken his
collarbone. Clem (Anthony
Clement) must have skidded
about 15 metres. He didn’t have
an ounce of skin left on his body.
I pulled over p***ing myself
laughing, my bike wobbled and
I just tumbled in slow motion into
a huge cactus. I was still laughing
but now had huge cactus spikes
embedded in me.
Mike came back from hospital
in a sling and Clem looked like
a mummy, bandaged from head
to foot. Clem said it’s a wonder
nobody got killed. If a car had
been coming the other way, it
would have been curtains.
O From Behind The Dragon,
published by Polaris, RRP £20.[ Goes in Rugby World]
Front Row
ILLUSTRATION
David Lyttleton
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