Rugby July-David Thiselton

From left Trix Truter, Dr Nic Labuschagne and Mike Moon photographed together at a recent 50th reunion of Natal's famous 6-6 draw with the All Blacks.



The 2010 Vodacom Durban July will mark the 50th anniversary of the famous “Rugby July”, won by a horse called Left Wing, and the amazing link between the two great sports that year brought back memories to three stalwarts of the 1960 Natal rugby team, Trix Truter, Dr Nic Labuschagne and Mike Moon.



In the lead up to the 1960 July, ardent rugby enthusiasts around the country believed there could only be one result - a win for number 13 Left Wing.



In an international versus New Zealand the previous Saturday the Boks had won 13-0 with both tries being scored by left wing Hennie van Zyl, who wore jersey number 13 (as the numbering was in those days).



The racehorse Left Wing, owned and trained by Syd Garret and ridden by Percy Cayeux, duly started favourite and won narrowly from Hyacinth.



Truter, Labuschagne and Moon were recently part of a 50th reunion celebration of probably the most famous result in Natal’s rugby history - an epic 6-6 draw with Wilson Whinneray’s great All Black team.



After the game the All Blacks carried the heroic Natal players off the field on their shoulders.



Truter played left wing for that 1960 team and went on to play left wing for the Boks in three tests from 1963 to 1965.



However, despite his positional association with the 1960 winner, the July he actually recalled best was the 1964 running won by Numeral.



Magic Events

He said earlier this week, “The Julys of those days were magic events. I remember before the one race Brian Schabram telling us in the change rooms to put all our money on Numeral.”



Labuschagne played hooker for the 1960 Natal team and became a great horseracing man.



The best horse he owned was Peri Peri, who was set to run in the July in the mid-seventies but had to be scratched in the lead up.



Labuschagne later became Chairman of the Durban Turf Club.



He had fond memories of the 1960 Natal team and said, “There was a great connection between rugby and racing back in those days with the likes of Basil Jenman being chairman of the Jockey Club in Natal and being a great Collegians man.



“I’m not a great betting man so don’t recall having a bet on Left Wing, but am sure I would have put something small on him.”



Moon, who played eighth man, recalled the intensity of the Natal-All Blacks game, in which he had to contend with the likes of the legendary forward Colin “Pinetree” Meads.



He has a prized photograph hanging in his home of himself valiantly tackling the All Black left wing in the dying moments of the game.



Co-incidentally he has an association with this year’s July as he is related through marriage to Robin Scott, breeder and part-owner of Orbison.



Car park picnic

He said of his rugby playing days, “We went to the July every year back then. We used to picnic in the car park area. It was tremendous fun.”



He confirmed that he would be watching this year’s July and supporting Orbison.

If there’s any co-incidence relating to Left Wing and this year’s July it would be that trainer Alec Laird, who is the great-nephew of Left Wing’s trainer Syd Garret, has a runner, the four-year-old gelding Captain Scott.



One wonders whether, 50 years on, Laird can complete a wing-three quarters double for the family as Captain Scott is number 14, the rugby number worn by the right wing!

Thanks again David (tu)