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\u201cI got hammered the night before we left and ended up getting on the train in the morning in the same clothes I\u2019d had on the night before. When I sat down in the carriage, I picked up a newspaper and suddenly I am seeing this tiny little bit in the corner: \u2018David Young selected to start against England in World Cup quarter-final\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Webster found out his pal had been selected he headed to Brisbane on an 18-hour bus journey from Sydney after his mates all chipped in to help pay for the trip, before meeting up with Young and the rest of the squad for a few drinks to celebrate their quarter-final victory over England.<\/p>\n
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Don’t miss… <\/strong> \u201cWhen I got there, I didn\u2019t have a lot of money and I didn\u2019t know where I was going,\u201d he continued. \u201cBut I found the hotel Wales were staying in and phoned Dai from reception. I am still in the same clothes as the Friday and it\u2019s now the Sunday!<\/p>\n \u201cThey took me to the game that afternoon and we beat England. I went on the p*** with them in the night, we had a good drink. I got up in the morning, thinking I was going back to Canberra. Then I got called in to see Clive Rowlands (team manager) and he said \u2018We\u2019ve had a couple of injuries, you are not in the squad, but would you like to stay with us as a guest?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Webster travelled with the squad for the semi-final against New Zealand, with Young once again starting, but Webster had other plans to be a ticket tout in order to earn some money at the time. Wales lost the match but still had a third-place play-off against Australia and back-rower Richie Collins had suffered an injury. Remarkably, Webster was the one called to replace him for the last-gasp 22-21 victory as Wales sealed third place.<\/p>\n \u201cWe lost the match (against New Zealand) and I went on the beer again,\u201d Webster detailed. \u201cI got up in the morning thinking I was getting a flight back to Canberra and then Clive called me in again and said, \u2018Right, you are now a member of the World Cup squad and you are coming to Auckland with us\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore we left Auckland to go to Rotorua, which is like travelling to Brecon, they announced the team. I remember they got to the back row and said: \u2018Gareth Roberts, Paul Moriarty and, openside, Richard Webster\u2019. I was like \u2018F***, I am playing\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cI had been on the p*** for four months, I hadn\u2019t trained. That\u2019s the God\u2019s honest truth. Then I am picked for my first cap! I must be the only mad Welshman who went to watch a game, went on the p*ss and ended up with a cap!\u201d<\/p>\n
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