play up, play up

And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat.
Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,
But his captain's hand on his shoulder smote
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!" (Henry Newbolt 1897)

The other day I went into a colleague's office. His secretary was decluttering and seeing her chance, shoved this cup into my hand - for whatever obscure reason.

It seems to have been competed for between 1961 and 1971 - and then the competition, I guess, fell into the doldrums.

It needs a good polish - and then, well who knows? I'll think of something!

I wondered a bit about all the young men who had sweated blood for this bit of plated silver. Where are they now? Do they even remember winning or losing in the big competition? But maybe that wasn't the point - maybe the game's the thing. As suggested in that awful poem by Newbolt! Well, we could always ask the world cup competitors.