Dally
M's "Leap to Glory"
Sean Fagan - ColonialRugby.com.au
A sports writer for a Sydney newspaper
wrote in 1907 of a spectacular 'move' employed by a number of
rugby footballers - not to laud how great such feats were, but
of how they on occasion were likely to, and in fact had, led to
death!

Dally
Messenger
NSW "Waratahs" 1905-07 |
He voiced his concerns after seeing
the great Herbert 'Dally' Messenger perform his version of the
"leap to glory" move in a match between NSW and the
New Zealand All Blacks at the SCG.
"Keen footballers are just now speculating
as to what may happen to Messenger, the tricky three-quarter of
the Eastern Suburbs team, if he endeavours in other matches in
which he may be engaged, to repeat last week's performance of
jumping over the head of the full-back. Other well known steeple-chasers
have before this paid the penalty with their lives in attempting
such a feat."
On
reaching a defender, who was often crouched ready to tackle or
dive at the oncoming attacker, the man with the ball would leap
dramatically into the air and literally hurdle his opponent.
A
sight which, understandably, would thrill the crowd and frustrate
the battery of photographers who were limited in those times to
shots that were little more than of footballers standing about.
Our sports writer continued: "Armit,
probably one of the best (rugby union) three-quarters seen in
New Zealand and certainly in NSW, was a victim of this foolhardy
feat. He was endeavouring to clear the head of an equally clever
player in Alf Bayley when the latter rose. Armit pitched forward
heavily on to his head. It was supposed at first that his neck
had been broken. Such was not the case, but the unfortunate fellow
sustained such spinal injuries as resulted in death a few days
after."
The move was initially made popular by A.E. Stoddart of the 1888
British team that toured Australasia. The
most celebrated exponent of "the leap" was New Zealand's
Albert ‘Opai' Asher. 'Opai' was a winger in the New Zealand team
that toured Australia in 1903 and was well known to Sydney audiences.
The reporter continued: "Asher, another
of this class, has several times had miraculous escapes, being
severely injured more than once. Asher, on account of his hurdling
(habit), was nicknamed ‘Opai' after a well known steeple-chase
horse. Apart from the danger that surrounds the practice, it is
not football. There should always be a companion-in-arms in attendance
to take the pass when the full-back is reached. Messenger will
be well-advised if he does not persist in this practice - pretty
though it may be."
Messenger recalled for a news feature in 1940 what happened that
day - he also paused to comment on the above reporter's offerings.
"The
writer didn't give me over much change and I agreed with him.
I was wise (not to repeat the jump). Bede Smith feinted past two
players and sent me the ball down in our own 25. Coming along
the (touch) line right to within five yards of the New Zealand
goal line, I noticed the centre and winger in front of me and
the full-back a few paces behind."
"Somehow or other I dummies them.
I don't know what happened really, but they stood mesmerised as
though expecting me to turn tail and run backwards. Anyhow, I
slipped right between the two of them and full-back Spencer, of
Wellington, made a dive right at me to grip me by the knees."
"As he dived, I dived over the top
of him and you couldn't hear yourself shout at the pandemonium
that followed when I landed over the line for the try. I must
have dived ten feet."
The Evening News reported: "The scene was indescribable
nor can a description of the outburst of the cheering be given
when Messenger converted."
"That
writer (talking about my dive) was correct," continued Messenger.
"I've never, before or since, done anything like it. But
you will enjoy hearing the sequel."

This
article is based on the book about Dally Messenger:
The
Master. |
"A
press photographer from one of the afternoon papers came to me
the next day and said, "I had bad luck Dal, I missed that
dive of yours." He'd have needed to be Harold Horder himself to
have got it!"
"He asked me: "I want you to
get the men concerned in position for me again and do a dive so
as I can take it." That made me burst out laughing! "Do you want
me to bust my neck?" I asked and meant every word of it. "It's
off," I said. "Go on Dal," he said, "give us a go."
"Not on your life," I replied. "That sort of thing is all right
on the spur of the moment, but not in cold blood." Nothing he
could say would budge me on that decision."
(For
more details visit: "The
Master" )
©
Copyright
- Sean Fagan - ColonialRugby.com.au
|