In central London on Monday night the assembled cast of almost 500 guests was a typically eclectic one. It always is at the annual Rugby Union Writers’ Club dinner, where no writing occurs and the dining can be a secondary concern. Sandwiched into the bleak no-man’s-land between Christmas and the Six Nations, flicking two defiant fingers at dry January, it is a reliable test of both character and stamina.
In addition to the camaraderie this year’s list of award winners was especially uplifting. The main Pat Marshall Award for the individual who has made the greatest impact on rugby in the previous 12 months went to Siya Kolisi, South Africa’s inspirational World Cup-winning captain. As anyone familiar with Kolisi’s extraordinary back story will know, he must be the ultimate example of just how transformative sport can be.
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