Leicester's Lions #3: Paul Dodge

Leicester's Lions No.3: Paul Dodge

 

Paul Dodge

Paul Dodge has a reasonable claim to be the greatest ever Tiger.  The youngest recorded player to start for the club, until George Ford in 2009, he was still only 17 when he received his club tie for 20 games, only 20 on his 100^th appearance and only 27 when he racked up the iconic 300^th appearance for the club.  His 437 games for the First XV put him 5^th on the all time appearance list. 

Dodge appeared in 6 Cup finals, winning 3 and captaining in the 1989 final against Bath, and was the club captain as they won the inaugural Courage League in the 1987/88.  After 17 seasons in the first team Dodge retired and took over the newly formed Under 21s side before moving upwards to coach the first team backs to the ’93 Cup final victory over Quins and then the club's 2nd League title in 1995.  With the arrival of professionalism Dodge, a bookbinder by trade, left first team duties to others and returned to coaching in the clubs youth structures.  This summer it was announced he will be Club President, taking over from Mike Harrison.

Dodge was part of the Tigers very first Youth XV and was the first England and then first British international of many to come.  He won 32 caps for England captaining them in the 1985 5 Nations Championship and that summer’s tour to New Zealand.  It was to be his final international appearance as Dodge retired from England at the age of 27 already the most capped centre for his country. 

Dodge was a member of the 1980 England grandslam side, their first for 23 years; initially Richmond’s Nick Preston was preferred but Dodge was drafted in alongside club-mates Clive Woodward, Dusty Hare and Peter Wheeler for the third match against Wales.  Hare slotted the injury time winning penalty after a dropped scrum.  Yes they did used to happen despite what the “golden age” old farts say!  Dodge retained his place for the final match against Scotland, using his raking left boot to set up one of the tries. 

Later that year Dodge scored the only try in the John Player Cup Semi Final victory over Harlequins before Tigers returned to Twickenham to defeat London Irish for the 2^nd of their three successive Cup Final victories.

This form meant Dodge was unlucky to miss out on the initial selection for the British Lions squad to tour South Africa; however when Welsh centre David Richards was injured Dodge became one of 8 replacements called to the tour and joined Woodward and Wheeler in South Africa.   

He made his Lions debut against the Junior Springboks on Wednesday 18^th of June as he played in a backline containing Tony Ward, Andy Irvine and Elgan Rees; his opposite number was Danie Gerber and Dodge grabbed a try in an impressive win for the tourists.  That catapulted Dodge into the Saturday side for the remainder of the tour as he featured against North-East Transvaal, Western Province and in the final two test matches against the Springboks. 

Tigers coach Chalkie White raided his savings to fly out to Port Elizabeth for the third match where Dodge joined Wheeler and Woodward; of having three players in the Test side White said at the time “If I live for another 100 years this will not happen again”, little did he know Tigers would match that number in 1993 and 2001, better it by 1 in 1997 and smash it in 2005 when 7 Tigers would line up against Argentina in the first Test. 

The Lions lost that third test after Naas Botha’s boot did for them but two weeks later they triumphed outscoring the Boks 3 tries to 1 at Loftus Versfeld and avoiding the whitewash.  Dodge partnered legendry Llanelli centre Ray Gravell in both tests with regular Leicester partner Clive Woodward forced to the wing in the 3^rd test and onto the bench in the 4^th. 

For England Dodge played as they beat Australia in 1982’s famous “Erica Roe” match, slotting the conversion of the match winning try, and was one of 6 Tigers for England was they beat the All Blacks in 1983, the others were Dusty Hare, Clive Woodward, Les Cusworth, Nick Youngs and Peter Wheeler.

Only three weeks later though Dodge was to suffer a broken leg away to Blackheath missing the rest of the season.  He bounced back to tour South Africa again, this time in 1984 with England but failed to feature in a test match, perhaps rushed back as he had only played twice for Leicester since the leg brake.  Come the 1985 5 Nations however he was fully restored and was named England’s 100^th captain as they faced Romania in January of that year.  He captained England 7 times and was undefeated at Twickenham though winless away from home.

Dodge won every honour available to him and was the prototype modern back.  At 6’1” and 90 kgs his size and strength means he wouldn’t be out of place in the modern game and he combined that with a fantastic rugby brain and a howitzer left boot which he used both tactically and for goal.  If he hadn’t played alongside Dusty Hare and Les Cusworth his goal kicking would have been used far more often.  

Leicester's Lions #1: George Beamish 
Leicester's Lions #2: Neil Back 

Leicester's Lions #2: Neil Back

Leicester's Lions No.2: Neil Back

Neil Back

Even at a club with a long and glorious history like ours being selected for multiple Lions tours is still a special achievement.  The names drip off the tongue Wheeler, Woodward, Richards, Underwood, Corry and more are a litany of legends.  But only two men have been on a third tour.  They stand head and shoulders above the other giants of the club.  Back and Johnson. 

Neil Back played 338 times for Leicester and ended his career as one of the most decorated players in English rugby history.  5 League triumphs, 2 European titles, 2 domestic cups, top try scorer in the history of league rugby, 66 caps for England, a grandslam, two more Six Nations championships, a World Cup, 5 caps for the Lions, a winning Lions tour.

Short sighted England coaches Geoff Cooke and Jack Rowell continually snubbed Back during the early 1990’s due only to his build, preferring the outsized Steve Ojomoh, Ben Clarke and at one stage even Tim Rodber.  The Lander incident in 1996, though he only missed 13 matches, left him further than ever from the international scene.

But the Lions helped change all that.  In those days the home nations’ coaches would put forward the names they thought were good enough for selection, 62 were entered for the 1997 tour to South Africa but Rowell had not included Back.  However tour manager Fran Cotton and coaches Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer had other ideas; Back was on the plane. 

It’s hard to imagine now but Back was considered a massive gamble and was a sure fire “dirt tracker” by many, he proved them wrong though by playing 8 games including the last two tests.  In the second test it was Back’s turnover that led to Wood hacking forward and Guscott being able to slot the winning drop goal.

With Woodward now in charge Back was a fixture of the England back row missing only 8 of the next 70 test matches up to the 2003 World Cup final.  Back captained England on 4 occasions winning them all. 

Back’s second Lions tour was not quite the success as the first as he was hampered with a rib injury which ruled him out of the first test.  The Lions lost the two test matches he featured in but they were both close run things with Back scoring a first half try in the 2^nd test to go into the break 11-6 up.  The second half fight back by the Wallabies has gone down in history as they surged past the Lions to win 35-14.  The third test didn’t go the Lions way as Justin Harrison, who earlier on the tour Austin Healey had described  as a plod, a plank and an ape, rose on the last play to paw the ball back on his side from  a Lions attacking lineout and seal the victory for Australia.  On his debut too.  Git.

Of course just before that crushing low Back and his Tigers team mates had experienced the ultimate high.  Paris.  A try scorer in the second half come back before Healey set up Lloyd for the stunning finale.  Need I say more?

Tigers had secured their 3^rd successive league title back in March after romping away from the competition and sealed the inaugural Play Off final (just an end of season jolly then rather than the title decider) against Bath the week before the Parisian dream.  2002 saw the Premiership and Heineken Cup retained, with Tigers matching Bath’s record of 4 successive titles and becoming the first side to retain a European title.  Back’s “hand” in the 2002 victory is massively over played as Tigers were by far the better side that day and Munster could have played for another hour without scoring a try.

Back’s greatest honour though was won in Sydney on 22^nd November 2003.  Neil Back played the whole 100 minutes as England, led by fellow Tiger Martin Johnson, beat Australia to become World Champions for, so far, the only time.  

Back was on the winning side in 31 of his last 33 England caps, a remarkable record and testament to both his greatness and that of his teammates.

He had one final international to play though.  His stunning form for Tigers as they topped the table in 2005 saw Back selected to tackle the All Blacks and go on the 2005 Lions tour alongside 7 of his Leicester teammates.  This selection tied Back with his greatest friend Martin Johnson on 3 Lions tours apiece.  

Controversy, though, dogged Back as he was suspended for the first 4 weeks of the tour after a fracas with Joe Worsley in the opening stages of the 2005 Premiership final defeat to Wasps.   Despite playing just one provincial game Back was selected for the first test, becoming the oldest ever player to represent the Lions in a test match; the 21-3 defeat was as near to the All Blacks as the Lions got and Tigers teammate and protégé Lewis Moody was the openside for the final two tests. 

Back’s final ever game of rugby was in a Lions jersey against Manawatu, he came off the bench and scored a try as he finished his career 16 years and 457 games after his Nottingham debut.

Since retiring Back has moved into coaching; first as an assistant at Tigers where he was part of Pat Howard’s backroom staff that guided the club to an historic double in 2007.  A year later he took over Leeds and guided them to promotion at the first attempt, then retained their Premiership status for one year before cruelly being relegated on the last day of the 2010/11 season on points difference from Newcastle.  Back dropped 5 divisions to lead the ill-fated Rugby revolution, as backer Michael Aland’s promised funds never materialised, however he did notch another promotion before the wheels fell off.  This year he worked under Michael Bradley at Edinburgh but was unable to bring his winning touch north of the border.

Back will always be remembered as one of the true greats of Leicester, England and the Lions who overcame early setbacks, some self inflicted most not, to win it all.  

Leicester's Lions #1: George Beamish, click here to read more 

Leicester's Lions #1: George Beamish

This series, of undetermined length at present, will be of little mini-biographies of some of Leicester Football Club’s 36 players chosen to play for the British Lions.  

Leicester's Lions No. 1: George Beamish

George Beamish

George Beamish was from the generation of men that led two lives at least.  He was the international rugby superstar; larger than colossus he captained Ireland to a share of the 1932 Championship and led Leicestershire & the East Midlands to victory against the touring Springboks in 1931.  He was a decorated war hero who was the first RAF man promoted to Air Commodore and was awarded the KCB in 1955.

He was said to be so strong he could bend pennies out of shape with the thumb and forefinger of one hand!

Beamish made the first of his 118 Tigers appearances aged 19 on December 27^th 1924 at home to Heriotonians; just two days before taking on the Barbarians in the by now annual encounter.  Beamish had been in impressive form for his native Coleraine and his Tigers honours tipped him into full international recognition as he made his Ireland debut against England on Valentine’s Day 1925.

  

He earned three caps in the 1925 Five Nations Championship and was also part of the all-Tigers Leicestershire side that won the County Championship for the first and so far only time, scoring a try in the victorious final against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

This was a boom era for the Tigers attendances, not until the mid ‘90s did the numbers reach these heady heights again, and Beamish would have regularly featured in front of 5 figure crowds.  He played against the touring Maori and New South Wales Waratahs, but probably his biggest ever achievement was captaining the Leicestershire & East Midlands XV (containing 7 Tigers, 5 Saints, 2 Bedford and 1 West Herts) to victory against the touring 1931 Springboks in front of 25,000 people at Welford Road. 

Beamish had played against the Springboks the week before for the Combined Services and had developed his tactical master plan to beat the Boks.  The Midlanders played the game tight, turning ball back inside at every opportunity with the wingers rarely seeing the ball, and instructions to “shake up” the South African pack, I can imagine Richard Cockerill giving similar instructions!  Northampton fly half Charles Slow stole the show with 2 tries and a drop goal in a 30-21 win, Slow later joined the Tigers after Beamish retired and won an England cap.

Beamish set a then world record of 25 international caps at number 8 after he was recalled to the Irish side for the 1928 Five Nations Championships, missing only 1 game between 1928 and his final appearance in 1933.  He captain the Irish to a share of the 1932 Championship and in 1933 his final match as captain saw his younger brother, and fellow Tiger, Charles Beamish make his test debut at prop. 

Beamish was one of three Tigers to be selected for the 1930 tour to Australasia alongside 19 year old prop Douglas “Joe” Kendrew and captain Doug Prentice, a local Leicester lock captaining the Lions now why does that ring a bell?  Beamish undoubtedly made the largest impact on the tour playing 21 games, including all 5 tests, being described at the time as the “biggest and best of their forwards in all the tests” whilst Prentice had the strength of character to admit he was not playing at his best and hand over the captaincy for all but 2 tests.  Kendrew played 11 games at prop and hooker.  

Beamish was a tear away back-rower for the Lions, securing his test place by scoring a try against Otago the Saturday before the first test, both games were played at the famous Carisbrooke ground.  In the place of club mate Prentice he captained the Lions three times against Wairarapa/Bush, Canterbury and Marlborough/Nelson Bays. The Lions defeated the combined teams but fell to Canterbury, Beamish grabbing a try against Marlborough/Nelson Bays.

It was on this tour that Beamish, legend has it, led a delegation of Irish players determined to have some representation in the playing kit.  At the time the Lions wore the blue shirt of Scotland, with a white collar and white shorts of England, plus red socks of Wales, neatly also copying the three colours of the Union Flag.  His demands were met and Green flashes were immediately added to the socks, with green turnovers still being a feature on the kit today.

Beamish’s brother Charles went on the 1936 tour to Argentina, captained by Leicester’s Bernard Gadney and managed by Doug Prentice, and played 17 games for the Tigers over 10 seasons, whilst his other brothers Victor and Cecil played for the first XV in 68 and 13 games respectively.  Their record of 4 brothers playing for the Tigers held firm until November 2009 when Manu Tuilagi became the 5^th of that clan to play for the club’s first team.  Like Beamish he played in a side that beat the touring Springboks and is now a British Lion himself.  Rather fitting I think.

Tigers grab the Lions Share

Six Leicester Tigers have today been selected to tour Australia with the British Lions.  Ben & Tom Youngs will be the first brothers to tour together since fellow Tigers Rory & Tony Underwood 20 years ago; they are joined by Geoff Parling, Dan Cole, Manu Tuilagi and Tom Croft.

Croft, who played in all 3 test matches four years ago in South Africa, becomes the 10th Tigers player to go on a second tour after Neil Back (1997 ,2001, 2005), Martin Johnson (1993, 1997, 2001), Dean Richards (1989, 1993), Rory Underwood (1989, 1993), Peter Wheeler (1977, 1980), Martin Corry (2001, 2005), Graham Rowntree (1997, 2005), Clive Woodward (1980, 1983) and Austin Healey (1997, 2001).

Rowntree is of course going on this summer's tour as forwards coach and was an assistant coach in 2009.  Clive Woodward coached the 2005 tourists and 1930 Tour captain Doug Prentice, a lock and number 8, was manager of the 1936 tour.

The 6 selected is the second most Tigers to tour behind the 8 named for the 2005 Lions and ties with the number who toured South Africa with the victorious 1997 Lions.  Tigers last solo tourist was Peter Wheeler in 1977 and the last tour to have no representation from Leicester was 1968.

Manu Tuilagi and Dan Cole are the 16th and 17th players educated in Leicestershire & Rutland to be selected for the Lions after Alfred Hind (1903), Tom Smith (1908), Kenneth Wood (1910), Doug Prentice (1930), Doug Kendrew (1930), Bernard Gadney (1936), Paul Dodge (1980), Dean Richards (1989, 1993), Martin Johnson (1993, 1997, 2001), Graham Rowntree (1997, 2005), Dorian West (2001), Lewis Moody (2005), Ollie Smith (2005), Harry Ellis (2009) and Tom Croft (2009, 2013).  Prentice, Gadney and Johnson all captained a Lions tour, Johnson famously being the only man to lead the Lions twice in both 1997 and 2001.

The 2013 squad is dominated by Gatland's Welsh players as they provide 15 of the 37 man party, though club-wise it is Tigers and Leinster who supply the most players with 6 players apiece, reigning RaboDirect Champions the Ospreys provide 5 players whilst English champions Harlequins have been snubbed with no players selected.  Chris Robshaw becomes the 3rd England captain in the last 5 tours to miss out on selection after Phil De Glanville (1997) and Steve Borthwick (2009).  

The surprise picks are the kilted kiwi Sean Maitland and English prop Matt Stevens who has retired from international duty with England.  Toulon's Jonny Wilkinson has ruled himself out of contention as he commits himself to the French side's quest for a league and cup double, unlike Gethin Jenkins.  The Welsh prop will presumably rule himself out of any potential Top 14 final to take his seat on the plane for Hong Kong which leaves the week before.  That won't win him many friends in the south of France but as he has already signed for next season at Cardiff I doubt he minds much.  

2013 British & Irish Lions squad
Backs:
Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff & Wales)
Stuart Hogg (Glasgow & Scotland)
Rob Kearney (Leinster & Ireland)
Tommy Bowe (Ulster & Ireland)
Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff & Wales)
Sean Maitland (Glasgow & Scotland)
George North (Llanelli & Wales)
Jonathan Davies (Llanelli & Wales)
Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster & Ireland)
Jamie Roberts (Cardiff & Wales) Manu Tuilagi (Leicester & England)
Owen Farrell (Saracens & England)
Jonathan Sexton (Leinster & Ireland)
Conor Murray (Munster & Ireland)
Mike Phillips (Bayonne & Wales) Ben Youngs (Leicester & England)

Forwards:
Dan Cole (Leicester & England)
Cian Healy (Leinster & Ireland)
Gethin Jenkins (Toulon & Wales)
Adam Jones (Ospreys & Wales)
Matt Stevens (Saracens & England)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens & England)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton & England)
Richard "My Eyes" Hibbard (Ospreys & Wales) Tom Youngs (Leicester & England)
Ian Evans (Ospreys & Wales)
Richie Gray (Sale & Scotland)
Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys & Wales)
Paul O'Connell (Munster & Ireland) Geoff Parling (Leicester & England)
Tom Croft (Leicester & England)
Toby Faletau (Newport & Wales)
Jamie Heaslip (Leinster & Ireland)
Dan Lydiate (Newport & Wales)
Sean O'Brien (Leinster & Ireland)
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys & Wales)
Sam Warburton (c) (Cardiff & Wales)

Breakdown by Club:
Leicester: 6
Leinster: 6
Ospreys: 5
Cardiff: 4
Saracens: 3
Glasgow, Munster, Newport, Llanelli: 2
Northampton, Sale, Toulon, Bayonne, Ulster: 1

Leicester's 36 Previous Lions:

By position (Bold have Test caps)

FB: John Jackett (1908), Dusty Hare (1983), Geordan Murphy (2005)

W: Alfred Hind (1903), Alexander Obolonsky (1936), Rory Underwood (1989, 1993), Tony Underwood (1993)

C: Ken Wood (1910), Clive Woodward (1980, 1983), Paul Dodge (1980), Will Greenwood (1997), Ollie Smith (2005)

FH: J.P. Horrocks-Taylor (1959), Alan Old (1974)

SH: Bernard Gadney (1936), Austin Healey (1997, 2001), Harry Ellis (2009)

P: Doug Kendrew (1930), Graham Rowntree (1997, 2005), Julian White (2005)

H: Peter Wheeler (1977, 1980), Dorian West (2001)

L: Tom Smith (1908), Doug Prentice (1930), Charles Beamish (1936), Martin Johnson (1993, 1997, 2001), Ben Kay (2005)

F: Roger Arneil (1971), Neil Back (1997, 2001, 2005), Eric Miller (1997), Lewis Moody (2005), Tom Croft (2009)

8: Fred Jackson (1908), George Beamish (1930), Dean Richards (1989, 1993), Martin Corry (2001, 2005)