Kane: It was a Classic to remember

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16: This was a Rugby Classic for the underdogs to cherish.

Canada, for so long the whipping boys of the tournament, put the Aussies to the sword with a fantastic display of pride and energy.

While the unpredictable Pumas not only dispatched the Springboks but also claimed the priceless scalp of the Classic Lions in a bruising final.

But behind the scenes and away from the crunching tackles and bruised bodies, there was no shortage of heroics either.

Ensuring that this year’s Classic went ahead after torrential wind and rain flattened the tents was an extraordinary, against-the-odds, performance.

John Kane, president of the event, told the Bermuda Sun: “The efforts put in this year by the volunteers, the suppliers and even the players from some teams was unbelievable.

“The Canadians and the Argentineans pulled off the upsets on the pitch but they were also the guys that came out and helped us get the tents up and set up everything for Tuesday.

“The fact it was a team effort and so many people pitched in made this year’s event even more special.

“And because the fans had to wait those extra days for the games to get underway it added extra tension and excitement to the occasion.”

Disappointing

This year’s Classic had a bit of something for everyone — and it showed in the excellent crowds that turned out.

There was the 83-point Classic Lion’s try-fest against the disappointing Italians.

There were tight, tense thrillers like the Argentineans clinging on to a slender two-point lead to sink the South Africans.

And there were plenty of individual moments of brilliance for example Canadian winger Kol Henrikson’s last-minute try-saving tackle that sent the Canadians partying long into the night.

“It’s great for the competition to see the cup shared around.

And this year the Pumas deserved everything they got. They tackled hard and their defence was exceptional.

“The Lions, who would have been the pre-tournament favourites for many, had no answer to their tactics in the final.

“It was an incredibly bruising encounter but the best team on the day won.

“There’s little doubt that the standard of the rugby now is at a very high level and that is good for everyone.

“What was great this year was to see the reactions of the Canadians and the Pumas after they had won. You could see just what it meant to them.”

As for next year?

Well there are already reports of the likes of South African legends Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha being lined up by the Springboks to avenge this year’s win-less campaign.

But they may be just rumours.

What is more certain is that the French will be back again for the 25th Rugby Classic, probably at the expense of the whitewashed Italians.

Age check

Players will also be asked to provide passport proof of date of births and other details.

Kane told the Sun: “There are always a few grumblings about the ages of players from the teams who lose.

“It is not an issue in our minds and the people who say it is a problem don’t know what they are talking about.

“We do everything we can before the tournament to check ages.

“But if someone is a last minute call up we don’t have the chance to check all the information.

“Next year we will be asking players to provide basic information that is going to include passport numbers and date of births beforehand to make it easier for them to get through customs.”