Barnes and Smart opted for England in a good way

THE question of allegiance to one country rather than another has raised its ugly head again with Gary Graham’s double defection, from Scotland to England and back again.

In the amateur era, Wales picked a pair of English players in their squad before and after their celebrated team of the Seventies had run its course. Stuart Barnes had captained Wales as a schoolboy and Colin Smart had appeared for Wales as a student.

Both were playing for Newport at the time and both qualified, albeit by residence. The similarity also extended to their reaction at being asked to throw their lot in with a country where the trees that had been growing Grand Slams needed tender loving care.

Each asked for time to consider before arriving, independently, at the same conclusion, that they were English – Barnes from Essex, Smart from London. Each was gracious in his refusal, thanking Wales for the offer and hoping they understood why it would have to be England or bust.

Each got his wish, Barnes starting against the Grand Slam Wallabies in 1984 by which time Smart’s 17-Test run had come to an end. While Barnes left Newport for Bath, Smart stayed put at Rodney Parade throughout 306 matches including leading the Black-and-Ambers to their Welsh Cup final win over Cardiff in 1977.

Had the Newport prop opted for Wales it would have spared him the trauma of ending a France-England match in hospital having his stomach pumped after being tricked into drinking after-shave by an England team-mate, the late Maurice Colclough.