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The Day the Pubs Ran Dry
"9 – 3" is a poem by Welsh comedian and singer Max Boyce and refers to the match between Llanelli and the New Zealand All Blacks at Stradey Park in front of 26,000 supporters on 31 October 1972. Llanelli took a 6–0 lead through a converted try but New Zealand struck back to make it 6–3. A long distance Andy Hill penalty ensured Llanelli emerged victors by 9–3 and the crowd famously ran onto the pitch at the end and carried off players such as Delme Thomas. The poem is best known for the line "The day the pubs ran dry", as huge celebrations followed and many pubs in the town sold out of all alcoholic drinks.

WESTMORLAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING. What's he that wishes so?
My cousin, Westmorland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enough
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmorland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say "To-morrow is Saint Crispian."
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say "These wounds I had on Crispin's day."
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words—
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester—
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Tall Bird wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 02, 2019 11:35 am

Yes, a well deserved win for SA. In the first half I thought they'd win with help of the ffFrench ref and England playing in slow motion.

Ian, Not being a footie fan, I hadn't taken much interest until a Boro supporter accosted me on St Maarten asking how long I thought County would last in the Premier Div. This was in the early ‘90s and IIRC the two teams were facing relegation. Shortly after returning home, the Rams beat Boro. I wrote to the Middlesbrough rag outlining the holiday encounter ending the letter 'up yours Andy!' Dunno if it was published.

Ex-Ascot wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:08 pm

Wonder if Mr Tindall and HRH PH are out on the town together tonight. Don't think that either wives would approve given their reputations!

Capetonian wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:20 pm

I had no idea the ref was a frog. This hasn't made me any fonder of them. I know nothing about Rugby but I assume the Boks played a tactically superior game since it was not just a win, but a very convincing one.

ian16th wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:19 pm

Ex-Ascot wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:08 pm

Wonder if Mr Tindall and HRH PH are out on the town together tonight. Don't think that either wives would approve given their reputations!

I believe that Mrs. Tindall is out there for the event.

Ex-Ascot wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 02, 2019 11:24 am

I wonder what the total weight of the S.A. squad is and that of England. We didn't stand a chance in scrums. Anyway England played badly in the first half, it was all over by then. Not surprised with the result. Yep well done S.A.