What has thirty legs, two wings and one odd-shaped ball?

‘Don’t be a fool! What have you heard, and why did you listen?’ Gandalf’s eyes flashed and his brows stuck out like bristles.
...
‘Well, sir,’ said Sam dithering a little. ‘I heard a deal that I didn’t rightly understand, about ruck, goal, and tackle, and Mr. Bilbo, sir, and hookers, and a blood replacement, and – and All Blacks, sir. I listened because I couldn’t help myself, if you know what I mean. Lor bless me, sir, but I do love tales of that sort. And I believe them too, whatever Ted may say. All Blacks, sir! I would dearly love to see them. Couldn’t you take me to see All Blacks, sir, when you go?’

‘The team of Sauron is ended!’ said Gandalf. ‘The Ring-bearer has scored his goal and won the Six Nations.’ And as the Captains gazed south to the Stadium of Mordor, it seemed to them that, black against the pall of cloud, there rose a huge shape of shadow, impenetrable, lightning-crowned, filling all the sky in the shape of an oval ball with flat ends, covered with sweat and mud and grime, the vomit of rugby. Enormous it reared above the world, and stretched out towards them a vast threatening dropkick, terrible but impotent: for even as it leaned over them, a great wind took it, and it was all blown away, and passed; and then a hush fell as the final score was announced.

What I haven't been able to find and am surprised not to have is Tolkien using the word 'warlock' to describe a magic-user who is in the 'evil camp'. Particularly given the Old English etymology: waerloga ('oath-breaker' or 'deceiver'). A warlock is sometimes described as a male witch and given that Tolkien put down his own 'purist' marker in regard of 'witch' being perfectly applicable to males and females, perhaps he saw no need to throw in warlocks as well. The word 'enchanter' doesn't appear either, as far as I can make out. Even though 'enchantment' does occur occasionally, for example in the arts exercised by Lúthien and Eöl. If someone turns up a mention to either word in the legendarium please post it!

J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973)

Member of Bradley’s editorial staff from 1919-1920, Tolkien’s contribution to the OED was in the range waggle-warlock. After his stint on the Dictionary, Tolkien went on to publish many works on Old and Middle English, later taking up professorships in Anglo-Saxon and English Language and Literature at Oxford. Tolkien is best known today for his fantasy fiction, most notably The Hobbit (1937) and the Lord of the Rings trilogy (1954-55).

Yutaka Baggins Yazawa – Prop/Hooker

Yutaka started playing the game when he moved to the UK to study in the last decade of last century. Continued to play rugby mostly by way of penance for his debauched lifestyle in his 20’s. After 11 years in and about London, playing for various social sides, he went on to play in Hong Kong for 9 years at HKFC. His longevity as a player is only as remarkable as his consistent mediocrity as a player. Then again, one looks to an aging front-row player for reliability and immovability, rather than for a flash of genius and speed. That is his excuse. In any event. Yutaka feels honoured and privileged to be a part of the Cru family, and considers himself the luckiest man in the world, without having an incurable disease named after him.

• Nationality: Japanese
• Occupation: Lawyer
• Age: Old Enough
• Height: Short Enough
• Weight: Heavy Enough

A genuine link to rugby in Tolkien's literary work is demonstrated through the publication of his first poem, The Battle of the Eastern Field, which was printed in the King Edward's School Chronicle in 1911. The poem describes a house rugby match in a parody of epic literature. It is a tongue-in-cheek account that is modelled on the then-renowned Lays of Ancient Rome by Lord Macaulay. Here, Tolkien's rival school houses are depicted as Roman clans dressed in red and green. Their 'battle' is described by Tolkien as follows:

'Now round in thickest throng there pressed These warriors red and green, And many a dashing charge was made, And many a brave deed seen. Full oft a speeding foeman Was hurtled to the ground, While forward and now backward, Did the ball of fortune bound: Till Sekhet marked the slaughter, And tossed his flaxen crest And towards the Green-clad Chieftain Through the carnage pressed; Who fiercely flung by Sekhet, Lay low upon the ground, Till a thick wall of liegemen Encompassed him around.' (Excerpt of poem reproduced with the kind permission of the King Edward's Foundation Archive.)

Whilst we may not know the true extent of Tolkien's rugby prowess, it is clear that rugby played an important role in his formative years. The scars and memories lasted him a lifetime and have left us with a fantastic piece of poetry in The Battle of the Eastern Field.

In a letter to his son, Michael, in 1937, Tolkien recalled his early rugby playing days, stating that he was rejected at first due to his lighter frame, but that he 'decided to make up for (his) weight by (legitimate) ferocity.' Tolkien became house captain at the end of his first season and was soon thereafter awarded his colours. The scholar must have been a decent player, as later in life when meeting old classmates, he was surprised to learn that he was primarily remembered for his 'rugger-prowess' at school.

Tolkien's rugby days were not without drama. In the same letter to his son he recalls how he 'got rather damaged - among things having (his) tongue nearly cut out.' Some attribute this accident to Tolkien's reputation later in life as an indistinct lecturer; however, others claim that he had always spoken in such a manner. Additional references to rugby from Tolkien speak of long-lasting injuries. In another letter to Michael in 1963 he states, 'I am getting nearly as unbendable as an Ent. My catarrh is always with me (and will be) - it goes back to a nose broken (and neglected) in schoolboy Rugby.'

Pretty interesting material to round out our one of our favorite authors who's almost always depicted as either a WWI soldier or an Oxford scholar but almost never as an athlete.

[entry for c. 1300] The Nazgûl reappear. The chief of these comes north to Angmar.

It was in the beginning of the reign of Malvegil of Arthedain that evil came to Arnor. For at this time the realm of Angmar arose in the North beyond the Ettenmoors.

It's one of those things about Sauron's power that seems disturbing in an existential way: he can summon the resources and men to populate Angmar in sufficient numbers to challenge the often combined forces of Elves and Men in Eriador. It's something Sauron could do that the Good Guys could not.