Ireland’s Call

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Stephen Walker. Ireland’s Call

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IRELAND’S

Irish Sporting Heroes who

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Understandably, the touchlines were packed with spectators for the biggest day in the club’s history. If the locals had come to watch an upset, they would be disappointed. The New Zealanders’ fine form continued, and despite the best efforts of Maclear and the other seven internationals on the Blackheath team they were no match for their dashing opponents, who scored 32 points without reply. The general consensus in the press was that the skilful men from the southern hemisphere were invincible. One correspondent reported that those who represented Blackheath had ‘probably never had such a gruelling before and certainly would not like to go through such an experience again’. The reporter had obviously not met Basil Maclear, who could not get enough of playing against the visitors.

Eleven days later he turned out for his home club, Bedford, as they tried to stop the all-conquering tourists. Schools, factories and offices in the county town closed early to allow people to attend. By the kick-off, a crowd of around 8,000 gathered in the shadow of the new stand to see if Bedford could succeed where other clubs across England had failed. Any thoughts of a home win proved to be in vain as the visitors won by an even greater margin than in the Blackheath game, finishing the match as winners by 41 points to nil.

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