If You Can’t Beat Them

Another side of Neven MacEwan that very few can remember, or know about!

In 1976 I was asked if I would do a cameo part in a Television One production, “If You Can’t Beat Them,” written by Kevin Boon and produced by Peter Coates.

Both Kevin and Peter played rugby for years. Some say that they never played good rugby. The more cruel may say, that what they played couldn’t be described as rugby at all. Yet together they can boast of something like 60 years of whatever rugby you would like to call it, in Wellington, London and Sydney.

Yes, they played at the Ealing Club – home of “Course Rugby”, the “Jock Strap Ensemble” and Michael Green the author of “The Art of Course Rugby”, and Peter can assure you that the University “President’s Grade” side was also a great source of inspiration for the series. A bit like a “Dad’s Army” for rugby followers, the series screened to much controversy. People either loved it or hated it, there was no middle ground.

Here’s a short clip from the series in which I played the part of Henry. I hope you have a laugh or two watching this video.

Neven

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To find out more about Neven MacEwan, his blog or his book, When the Crowd Stops Roaring, visit nevenmacewan.co.nz