Did you take part in our Big Fat Rugby Quiz of the Year? All the answers are below. Winners to be announced shortly!
A. MUDDLED UP
1. Alex Spink. 2. Steve Bale. 3. Neil Squires. 4. Ben Kay. 5. Ian Malin. 6. Eddie Butler. 7. Dewi Morris
Two points for each correct answer. Maximum: 14 points
B. MISSING LINKS
One fine DAY, the rugby-playing KING of HOLLAND was heading into town to have a SWIFT one at his local pub. He was in a bit of a RUSH to sup a pint of his favourite BREW. Taking a SHORT cut through the WOOD, he came across a FLOOD but he was able to WADE through it without a CARE in the world. Soon, he was on his WAY again, plucking a BERRY from the occasional bush.
After passing through a dense clump of TWELVETREES, he was surprised to bump into a YOUNG WELSH second-row who he’d last encountered in a feisty game in HAMILTON.
“AH YOU!” he exclaimed, with a CROSS expression. “I’d recognise that hair-line anywhere. You trod on me when we met on the pitch last EASTER and I still have the SHOEMARK to prove it!” “You’re mistaken, my friend,” replied the BALDING WALKER. “It happened in MAY and that is the PRICE you pay for DIGGIN me in the ribs!”
Half a point per correct answer. Maximum: 13 points
C. 2011 WORLD CUP
1. Georgia and Romania (2)
2. Morne Steyn
3. New Zealand v Japan (Andy Ellis and Shaun Webb)
4. Fishing for whitebait on the Waikato River
5. Marc Lievrèmont – the only non-New Zealander
6. Peter de Villiers (South Africa)
7. Danie Rossouw
8. England, Ireland and South Africa (3)
9. Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu
10. Fear of flying
11. A screening of the Wales-France semi-final at the Millennium Stadium
12. Adam Kleeberger (of Canada, who had a huge beard at RWC 2011)
13. Paul Williams (Samoa)
Maximum: 16 points
D. MYSTERY MEN
1. Martin Corry
2. Marc Lievrèmont
3. Justin Harrison
4. Richie McCaw
Three points for each correct answer. Maximum: 12 points
E. AVIVA FEVER
1. Tom Homer (London Irish)
2. Danny Grewcock and David Barnes (2)
3. Leicester (21,096), Toulouse (18,239) and Clermont Auvergne (15,810). Munster were 15,430 (3)
4. Phil Larder (Worcester)
5. It followed an altercation with football fans in a West London pub. Payne’s suspension was lifted but Powell left the club
6. Jason Robinson
7. John Brain, now Gloucester’s rugby operations manager
8. Newcastle Falcons
9. They all retired in 2011, Ward-Smith and Sanderson totally and Moody from Test rugby
10. Joe Worsley
Maximum: 13 points
F. TRUE OR FALSE?
1. False – it was true until 2011, when New Zealand didn’t meet holders South Africa
2. True – he nicked a van to drive to a nightclub and there was a dog in the back
3. True – they pixelated the picture in the remaining copies
4. True
5. False – it was Jonny Wilkinson who sang All Things Bright and Beautiful
6. False – the Barbarians and Saracens have scored 50 there
7. False – it’s a different Richie Gray (a coach from Galashiels) who invented it
Two points per correct answer. Maximum: 14 points
G. CELTIC HEADLINES
1. Robinson tried to persuade GRAY to stay (The Scotsman)
2. IRB have brought game into DISREPUTE with Wales snub for Player of Year shortlist (Western Mail)
3. They called us Glasgow WORRIES, now they are worried (Daily Record)
4. Spears, Tears, fears and CHEERS: Warburton smiling again after his ban (The Mirror)
5. SEXTON’S half-time address show Irish armies have a new conquering general (The Guardian)
6. WRU RIPPING off fans with new £90 shirts (Western Mail)
7. Irish are buoyant but now it’s sink or SWIM (Belfast Telegraph)
8. Ready, EDDIE, go: O’Driscoll wary of O’Sullivan factor (The Mirror)
9. TRY shy Scots hit at the death again (Scottish Express)
Maximum: 9 points
H. WHO SAID IT?
1. D – Adrian Hadley
2. H – Jeff Probyn
3. C – Ray Gravell
4. E – Dickie Jeeps
5. B – Peter de Villiers
6. G – Al Murray
7. J – Elizabeth Taylor
8. A – Jonathan Davies
9. F – John Kirwan
Maximum: 9 points