Middle of greatest is waiting for his pint
they got away with plenty. We should have done the same thing, but our players aren’t trained to break the laws.” Ouch! Double ouch, in fact. Groves relates: “When I was told what he’d said my reaction was: ‘Poms are supposed to be whingers, not Aussies.’
“The thing is, he didn’t say it to my face. I read later that he had apologised. But, again, I never received any such apology. He also said he would buy me a pint.” and seemingly shellshocked.
The Australian’s words cut through the steamy locker-room air.
“Cheer up. There’s a billion people in China who don’t give a **** .”
NEWS of the cup upset travelled far and quickly, even reaching Australia in the days when it usually took time for news to go from one side of the world to the other.
“I had an Australian friend who got in touch to say: ‘Bloody hell, John! What have you done?!’” recalls Groves. “Cardiff were a world-renowned club and news of their defeat and Alec Evans’ outburst were in all the papers down there.
“Of course, it was big news here as well. But it didn’t bother me.
“I had been a referee for 20-odd years before that incident, doing a lot of big games, and anyone who has been an official for that length of time develops a thick skin.”
DAYS after the game the letter box rattled at Groves’ home and one item in particular caught the referee’s eye.
“I had a nice postcard from a Cardiff RFC committee member a few days after the game,” says Groves. “It displayed quite a bit of class. “The message said: “After shaking you by the hand and wishing you well on Saturday last, I was absolutely horrified to see the scathing attack by a person completely lacking in good sportsmanship.
“I write this as one who has always appreciated your concern for the well-being of players and the game.
“I wish you well, this being written independently and not as a committee member of Cardiff RFC.”
The cartoon on front of the card showed outraged spectators screaming in the direction of the referee as a player crosses the opposition line. The official is saying: “I’ll decide if my son knocked on!”
It was clearly sent in jest.
THESE days, former Tonyrefail RFC president Groves is enjoying a contented retirement and still pops along to his local club.
“I have been wearing dark glasses of late because of problems with cataracts and when I went into the club the other day someone said to me: ‘If Alec Evans could see you now!’
“Look, he said what he said but I moved on a long time ago. Australians are renowned for speaking their minds and he certainly did that day.
“But I refereed the match fairly, just as I refereed every other game in my career fairly.
“On the day, the result went against Cardiff and they went out of the cup. It happens. I guess it comes down to how you accept defeat.
“Some at the Cardiff club were brilliant that day. But Alec Evans chose to have a go at me.
“I am not the type of bloke to hold a grudge. You put things behind you and I refereed many matches after that game.
“But I’m still waiting for that pint...”