Even in that most dark of dark moments for a rugby player – the time the coach advises you that you didn’t make the starting line-up this time out, for one reason or another – the ‘Togetherness’ of this squad comes to the fore.
Tom Shanklin, who can be forgiven for thinking he was a little unlucky not to start at centre for Wales against South Africa if you put the collective talents of Sonny Parker and Gavin Henson to one side, took a little ‘ribbing’ from his team mates this week.
Shanklin, an accomplished wisecracker himself, was the apparent author of a note left on the coach’s desk which read:
“Can’t believe I’m not picked, I’ve carried the Blues all year, I’m in all the video clips. CW is coming next week and I’ll show him I should be in the Lions. SHANKS”
Ruddock immediately saw the funny side and promptly posted the note on the player’s notice board.
The jury is out on whether ‘Shanks’ was dishing out his own brand of gentle sarcasm in the face of missing out on selection in the starting line up or his team mates where just seizing an opportunity to level the score on practical jokes gone by!
