The Milligan Side-step

Revered and irreverent icon of comedy ex-Goon and Bad Jelly author Spike Milligan passed away on 26 Feb. A huge rugby fan with many NZ connections, he never got his biggest rugby wish: to have Willie John McBride lead Ireland to victory over the ABs at Landsdowne Rd. Milligan once wrote in The Telegraph of an attempt to fell All Black captain Ian Kirkpatrick, “I drunkenly charged the great man with my pathetic attempt at a crash tackle. I was concussed for about four months but Kirkpatrick just went on drinking his Guinness before inquiring after my health. What a man! Granite! No wonder they never lose.”