99 call
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In rugby union, the "99" call was a policy of simultaneous retaliation by the 1974 British Lions tour to South Africa. The tour was marred by on-pitch violence, which the match officials did successfully control and the relative absence of cameras compared to the modern game made citing and punishment after the fact unlikely.
The Lions' Captain, Willie John McBride therefore instigated a policy of "one in, all in" - that is, when one Lion retaliated, all other Lions were expected to join in the melee or hit the nearest Springbok.[1] By doing so, the referee would be unable to identify any single instigator, and so would be left with the choice of sending off all or none of the team. In this respect, the "99" call was extremely successful - no Lions player was sent off during the tour.
At the battle of Boet Erasmus Stadium,[2] one of the most violent matches in rugby history,[3][4] there is famous video footage of JPR Williams running over half of the pitch and launching himself at Johannes 'Moaner' van Heerden after such a call,[5] something that JPR says he is not proud of.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Paul Doyle Small talk: PR Williams The Guardian unlimitedOctober 6, 2006
- ^ Staff. Sports File: Caught in Time: Lions in South Africa, 1974, The Sunday Times, 24 November, 2002
- ^ Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth 13 July 1974 Official Website of the British and Irish Lions
- ^ George Byron, Recalling those legendary 'Battles of the Boet', Weekend Post 14 May 2005
- ^ Tom English Rampant Lions - South Africa 1974, cites it is a copy an article in The Sunday Times, 20 May 2001. Accessed 5 January 2008
