Friday's Beefcake of the Week

What ho, steak lovers!

There is one man who sets the standard for aspirant rugger beefcakes everywhere.  Indeed, he has set the standard for the past two decades.  This Englishman of African birth is of the old school.  Unlike most modern rugger oiks, he attended a decent university (Bristol).  He would often ride his bicycle to matches whilst still drunk from the previous evening's entertainment.  He duly signed for the Bristol club in the early 1990s and hasn't looked back since.  Indeed, it is true to say that Simon Shaw - for it is he - has beasted more opponents than most of us have eaten hot dinners.  The notches on his belt include Bakkies Botha (Pretoria '09), Paul O'Connell (Twickenham '08), Dan Vickerman (Marseille '07), Fabien Pelous (Paris '07), and too many others to mention.  

There is even a secret London society named the "Simon Shaw Appreciation Club" whose sole purpose is to enable beef lovers to indulge in what can only be described as an orgy of beefcakery.  This band of rugger cognoscenti, a famous scribe among them, watch re-runs of famous Shaw performances in the basement of a private Mayfair address.  The club favourite, naturally, is "Shawsy Beasts Bakkies in Pretoria". 

The "biggest man ever"* plays for England tomorrow night in Paris.  Don't pass up the opportunity to enjoy watching this quintessential rugger beefcake whilst he's still around.  Simon Shaw - sir, you are my most deserved Beefcake of the Week. 

Yours, etc

Viscount Crouchback

* James Haskell, speaking in 2009

Comments

[Gemini]

My Lord,

An excellent addition to the series and one long overdue. Perhaps you should consider making a Calendar.

I shall be sorely disappointed if Dylan Hartley doesn't make it to Beefcake of the week at some stage my lord. I know your methods of selection are likely to be infallible but just imagine the lad wearing only his trademark red sweatband.

Yours in earnest,