Production manager Mitou Pajawkowska with prop John Meadows Director Haydn Keenan and Mark Ella. Unnamed photographer on the right. Ready for a formal post match reception. There was a culture of old world formality which gave these long tours real depth and an experience never to be forgotten by the players.
Oxford University
Widelux Photo: Tony Gailey
Cardiff I think
widelux photo: Tony Gailey
A nice night for a stroll. Director Haydn Keenan "may be some time" as Lt Oakes famously said. Porthcawl Wales where crew and team were snowed in.
widelux photo: Tony Gailey
London.
widelux photo: Tony Gailey
Kids at the Lancashire game. These mid week games were cultural highlights for both players and the people of the places where matches were held. Towns would would come to a halt and everyone turned out to welcome the visitors and hopefully knock the stuffing out of them.
widelux photo: Tony Gailey
How grey was my valley? The visitors dressing room under the main stand at the Arms Park funnelled the sound of hundreds of choirs singing Land Of My fathers down to the visitors putting the fear of god into them.
You get to see everything from a speeding car window. Battersea power station by night.
Our crew; Production Manager Julian Russell, Director of Photography Tony Gailey and Sound Recordist Dean Gawan at Oxford Uni.
A room with a view. Our hotel in Porthcawl Wales. Known for having the world's largest caravan park we were trapped here for days in the first week of January 1982. Surrounded by fifteen feet of snow the food started to run out. Luckily spirits don't freeze.
Training in Scotland. (LtoR) Greg Cornelsen, Tonys Darcy and Shaw and Duncan Hall.
Rustic viewing for Australian tourists in Lancashire.
Match entertainment in Lancashire. A hillside to stand on and watch the Wallabies. What better way to spend the afternoon.
At least it's sunny. Porthcawl with the pool frozen solid. For a small bet Mick Martin had a swim in the sea. Edges were frozen. Sea water freezes at -4c!!
The Running Game's cinematographer, the legendary Tony Gailey. His first job as a DOP.
The police band waiting to do their thing. Lancashire 1981. I love the coach tours office and the sense of community. Selling scarves, hand written signs, bench built on beer kegs. A pox on the over organised events we have now.
Mick Martin checks the cover defence while Slack and Ella range up in support against Glasgow, I think.
Cambridge with Christmas approaching
Tony Shaw at the heart of the pack. Training conditions became increasingly difficult with some sessions forced indoors by the developing winter weather.
Mick Martin with Glen Ella in support, note both of them assessing the cover defence.
The man legend Stan Pilecki joins Director Haydn Keenan in bed to issue his requirement for film appearances. Our crew gradually became part of the touring group as the weeks rolled on and the cameraderie included us. Great guys, great generosity.
Production manager Julian Russell takes his life in his hands playing a snowy prank on Wallaby Captain Tony Shaw.
Hooker Chris Carberry, prop John Meadows and half back Philip Cox sort out scrum tactics.
Waiting for the first test against Ireland to get underway.
The Irish Test needs to be inverted sorry.
Oops another pic which needs inverting or look at it in a mirror. Australia-Ireland 1981. We won. The only test we did win. Beaten by penalties in the others.
Looking at this picture it looks like there ar a couple of in depth discussions going on, in particular with prop John Meadows on the left.
Coach Bob Templeton in the hoodie, drove his forwards hard. He was a great support to our crew and a great bloke.
Mark Ella beats his opposite number.
The boys had to dig a path for their bus to get onto the road
Chris Carberry at the front Tony Parker at half and Stan Pilecki jumping, if that's the term, at No1. The night games were punishing as the winter progressed. In particularly a game in Aberdeen the the thermometer at -10c!
Co-Director Peter Fenton being lectured by a group of children in Ireland
The miles covered were enormous and players really got to see the country. Here passing the modernist Hoover factory in London.
Use the back door. The country was gradually brought to a standstill by the worst winter of the century.
The dreaming spires or in this case quadrangle in Oxford.
widelux photo: Tony Gailey
Beautiful regional settings are often where the mid week games happens. A wonderful autumn afternoon.
Ella with Lucas in support
Loosie Chris Roche supporting Mark Ella.
The Mark Ella swerve with loose forwards Lucas and Loane in support
Lance Walker seagulling. Note the haphazard crowd just standing virtually along the touch line. Great days
Mark Loane coming up in support of loosie Peter Lucas
Loose forward Peter Lucas on the burst.
Bob Templeton runs a forwards session.
Bob Templeton Peter Maclean and Capt. Tony Shaw
Peter Maclean at training in Dublin
Welsh kids in Porthcawl, Wales.
The Bodleian library Oxford
Greg Cornelsen and Smon Poidevin ready for the long throw in the Irish test.
Sunny Porthcawl, holiday destination never to be forgotten.
Shirley Kennard in coat, sound recordist Dean Gawan and Director of Photographer Tony Gailey set up for a shot. Dean drove the crew van and when he was going away from Shirley it was at snail's pace and when he was going towards her it was at roadrunner pace.
Director Haydn Keenan at Oxford Uni. Closest he'll get to a tertiary education.
Edinburgh. Great town. We all stayed at the Great Northern hotel built above the main railway station in the Victorian era but now faded and a bit creaky. But grand nevertheless. We crashed the camera van at 2 m.p.h. as it gentlyt slid down an icy gentle incline on a street. The impending crash took about 30 seconds to happen. We even managed to jump out of vehicle and run alongside it trying to stop it. It gently banged into the side of a parked car at a T intersection.
You had to dig you way and and out of everywhere.
Wallaby Lance Walker, hooker and good bloke
The players gate. What charm. Here is the heart of rugby. When the TV showbiz circus moves on this will still be there waiting and friendly as ever.
Australia v Lancashire I think. Beautiful image from cinematographer Tony Gailey. Note the straw laid on the pitch to prevent it from freezing.
widelux photo: Tony Gailey
Interior in Oxford not sure if this is a chapel or library
Screen grab from the film, sorry about quality. Simon Poidevoin & Peter Maclean after a loss
Mick Martin having a little rest in our room.
Talk about snow. People became trapped for days near Porthcawl when they couldn't open their car doors to get out on snowploughed country roads.
Mark Ella and ref practise their syncronised walking.
Rustic half time entertainment. Only surpassed by the police dog unit displays which were often on show.
Gary Ella cutting a dashing figure waiting to be choppered out.
Peter Grigg prepares to kick. No kicking tees in those days
Oxford, I bought the complete Oxford English dictionary. Should have bought a range of uni ties (rowing 8, rugby blue etc)
A lone Australian supporter at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.
Snowed in and doing the cross fit to get out.
Cinematographer Tony Gailey
Speedwell cleaners Bristol. Ornate building for a cleaner!
This is the site of our slow motion car crash.
(LtoR) Brendan Moon, Tony Shaw & liaison chap
John Meadows does Victorian rugby proud
Cinematographer Tony Gailey, who played on the wing for James Rouse Agricultural High School, shows his form
Director Haydn Keenan at Oxford. Closest he came to a tertiary education.
Roger Gould photographing his team mates shovelling snow rather than shovelling snow himself.
Digging their way out in Porthcawl
Brendan Moon and Tony Shaw greeting the camera
Our hard working crew waiting.
(LtoR) John Meadows, Duncan Hall and Mark Loane.
Streetscapes became a bit Harry Potter like
Note the close attention being given by the tackler to his opponent
Crew going to the library in Oxford
Much time is spent waiting. Andrew Slack improves his game.
This is how the winter of 1981-82 was.
Duncan Hall, Declan Curran and Steve Williams
Before the lineout laws changed. Check the facial massage on Duncan Hall.
This much was falling in a night.
Mark Ella in the snow shovelling detail
Tony Parker and Mitou Pajawskowska our production manager. Mick Martin has possibly lost something.
Gary Ella looking suspiciously at the camera
Stan Pilecki. This man is a legend. Would go on a team run with a packet of cigis in his pocket, occasionally gettng a taxi home. Imparted the philosophy to me that when you get belted in the front row always get up off the ground with a smile on your face. The other bloke then starts thinking, "shit what have I got on my hands here." As hard as they come and a great bloke. You couldn't ask for a better travelling companion.
Mark Ella at the bar in London
In a London pub. Simon Poidevin's sister was working in London and you can see Mick Martin in toga visiting it in our film THE RUNNING GAME
Andrew Slack great guy and soon to become a great Wallaby Captain.
Team Manager Sir Nicholas Shehadie talks to journalist David Lord who would attempt to set up "World Series Rugby" as a professional split from the traditional game. In thwarting him the international game had to bow to the inevitable and go fully professional. The blokes travelling for four months through the U.K. on this tour were paid ten pounds each per day for their troubles. How they financed their mortages or their loss of pay for that period is unknown. But they did it for love of the game.
Roger Gould, a very cool guy watches Tony Gailey kicking.
A wonderful Chistmas lunch in London 1981. A long way from home but with great companions. This looks like a roast being read by Chris Roche to the pleasure of all with the possible exception of Bob Templeton on the right. The best of times
Widelux photo: Tony Gailey
Paul Maclean at Christmas lunch. Poor quality screen grab from the film. Sorry
Fullback Roger Gould attempts to copy cameraman Tony Gailey's technique
Mark Ella in the opening test against Ireland. Poor quality screengrab from the movie sorry.
Choir practise in a local pub before the test against Wales. Poor quality screengrab from the movie sorry.
Mick Martin resting his eyes with the Welsh liaison officer
Mick out on the town with a bombshell. Poor quality screengrab from the mnovie sorry.
Tempo. Poor quality screengrab from the movie sorry.
Cinematographer Tony Gailey getting the shot.
The cover of our DVD for THE RUNNING GAME
Mark Loane takes the ball into contact. Poor quality screengrab from the movie sorry.
The crew looking for a takeway in Porthcawl
(LtoR) Production Manager Mitou Pajawskowska, Wallaby John Meadows, Director Haydn Keenan, Mark Ella and a photogrpaher on their way to a formal after match function.
Use a mirror to get the best out of the marching band
Edinburgh on a winter afternoon.
Mark Loane, the Wallaby No.8. A thoughtful man for whom the management of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London opened locked galleries so he could have a look at Victorian era plaster casts of Rennaissance sculptures. The Rugby team were held in very high regard. Mark is one of the people I have seen read a book with a pocket dictionary next to him so he could check the meaning of words immediately.
Mick Mathers goes high at training
Travelling through snowfields on the Edinburgh-London train
The streets of Porthcawl at night
The locals have scored. The north country.
Big haired boys in the 80s
The view from our hotel window in Edinburgh
The open road. We drove zillions of miles to shoot THE RUNNING GAME
Cardiff Arms Park in the first week of January 1982. We travelled back to Wales after the England test to prepare for the traditional tour ending Barbariains game but weather condiiton worsened and it was cancelled.
John Meadows looking like a local with Chris Carberry and in the background can be seen Cinematograher Tony Gailey in his longjohns and fox/dingo mask ready for his part in the "dingo got my baby act."
Glen Ella at the end-of-tour fancy dress party
Tony Darcy finishes his act at the end of tour party. Paul Maclean looks relieved.
Wearing an English jersey. They don't seem to swap jersey after games anymore.
Seafront Porthcawl. The end of a memorable experience with a great bunch of blokes and a wonderful crew.
Party piece. Poor quality screengrab from the movie sorry.
Andrew Slack isn't left handed - this photo has to be inverted. The barber shop quartet act with Andrew Slack, John Hipwell, Paul MacLean Greg, Cornelson, Roger Gould trying hard.
Mick Martin with animal head dress and Phillip Cox as a passably unfortunate woman
The always gracious Stan Pilecki.
Stan Pilecki watching the outrages at the end of tour party.
Peter Grigg was actually really good in his closely observed imitation of Sir Nick Shehadie. Had everyone in stitches.
Peter Grigg does his impression of team manager Nick Shehadie.
Alfred Hitchcock and Bob Templeton unforgettable profiles and characters
Stan; a finer companion to travel with you couldn't wish for.
Lance Walker at the end of tour party.
(LtoR) Peter Lucas, Lance Walker and John Hipwell at the end of tour team party.
Stan Pilecki brings the house down with his collected thoughts
This is the sort of get up that was previously kept private.
Herding cats at the end of tour party
The end of tour players party. Front row (LtoR)Mark Loane, Michael O'Connor, Simon Poidevin, Roger Gould, I think that's Mick Martin with a box on his head!, Tony Parker, Greg Cornelsen,Brendan Moon, Glen & Gary Ella.
Second Row(LtoR) Peter Lucas, Lance Walker, Peter MacLean, Simon Poidevin, John Hipwell, Tony Shaw, unknown monster, (?)To Be Identified, Philip Cox
Our film cew was invited to attend. A first. Everyone has to do an act. We performed the story of the dingo and the baby.
widelux photo: Tony Gailey
The team leaving. They couldn't fit the film crew in so we had to wait till roads were cleared.
Room in Porthcawl with a view.
End of the world streetscape Porthcawl, Wales January 1982
No takeways here. The crew go hungry.
We ate Christmas leftovers for days in Porthcawl and then they too started to run out. Water frozen so alcohol only.
(LtoR) Mick Martin, Peter Grigg and Glenn Ella ready to leave.
(LtoR)Mick Martin, Peter Greg and Steve Williams ready to leave Porthcawl
Exit stage right. Snow so deep the boys had to be choppered out in small groups.
The boys leave snowed in Porthcawl
Memories to last a lifetime.