Decanter

PREMIUM AUSTRALIAN SHIRAZ

As you enjoy this month’s Decanter, millions of people will be gripped by Rugby World Cup fever, captivated by battles occurring across Japan until 2 November. Wine and rugby are both high on my list of passions, and it is this global celebration of the game which made me think about how both have changed over the years.

I played rugby more than three decades ago, and while there were some big lads on the pitch, there was room for some of us smaller, lighter, nimbler guys to make our mark. Team photos show a remarkable range of physical specimens, from little tiddlers, to beanpoles and strongmen, to rather chubby types.

Looking at the physical stats of the players today, it seems every position is filled with extraordinarily tall, heavy and yet fit and fast monsters. It occurred to

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