John Pullin (1941-2021)

[Wowbagger]

https://www.bristolbearsrugby.com/news/obituary-john-pullin/

Pullin was one of the best players in a not-very-good England team of the 1970s. He played for the 1971 Lions, who beat New Zealand, and was, possibly most famously, in the passing sequence which led to "the Greatest Try of All Time", Gareth Edwards' for the Barbarians against the All Blacks in 1973.

[Psychler]

Not a great week for 70's rugby players.  Bob Wilkinson, also in the Baa Baa's team that day in 1973, and Jean-Pierre Bastiat both died this week as well.

[Wowbagger]

I hadn't spotted those two. I recall Wilkinson from the 1973 game - wasn't he the "token Blue" from Oxbridge and played in the 1973 Barbarians match before he had his England debut?

[Psychler]

I hadn't spotted those two. I recall Wilkinson from the 1973 game - wasn't he the "token Blue" from Oxbridge and played in the 1973 Barbarians match before he had his England debut?

That's him, although he had left Cambridge in 1972 and was playing for Bedford at the time of the BaaBaas/NZ game.  He went on to get six caps for England.  Mike Gibson also studied at Cambridge.

Tom David was also un-capped at the time but he wasn't originally selected, being brought in on the morning as Merve Davis wasn't well.

[Wowbagger]

Yes, I recall that of Tom David. He had a very good game IIRC. Wasn't Gerald Davies also injured, hence John Bevan getting a place?

Watching the move again that led to the Edwards try, it started with a lineout throw from Pullin. I hadn't noticed before, but JPR Williams was involved in that passage of play twice, and both times he was tackled was at neck height in a manner that I reckon would probably stand a good chance of a yellow card these days.