All Our Calcutta Cup Yesterdays

BACK IN THE DAYS of “hot metal”, when journalism was a proud craft with a future, one of the rites of passage for a young hack on a local paper would be the weekly trawl through the archives, for a reminder of what had been news 25, 50, 75 and 100 years before. The diligent youngster could turn up some crackers.

For instance, doing the files one week, I came across a report of a disturbance at a Scottish Junior Cup tie between Irvine Meadow and Petershill, during World War II. As luck would have it, that evening I was covering a meeting of the Ayrshire Junior Football Executive Committee, so I mentioned to the then Ayrshire President, a veteran Meadow man, that I was featuring that sorry incident in that week's paper.

“Aye, Ah mind o' that brek-in – I was first onto the park, the referee was screwing us,” was the response from this pillar of football administration.

So, this week, with the Common Enemy in-town for the Calcutta Cup, I thought I'd have a look at past encounters for this oldest of actual Rugby Union trophies.

1999

Twenty-five years ago – that was a good year for Scottish Rugby, as we became the last-ever Five Nations Champions, with a record which read – played 4 – won 3 – lost 1. Unfortunately, the one we lost was the big one, the Calcutta Cup match, at Twickenham, which, unsurprisingly since we were in the middle of a barren run in south-west London, we lost 24-21.

Poor Kenny Logan may well go to his grave with reservations about this match, since received wisdom is, had Kenny had his kicking boots on the right feet, Scotland would have won.

Kenny missed what looked a fairly-straightforward penalty early on and England made good their escape with tries from Tim Rodber and Dan Luger, converted by Johnny Wilkinson, to lead 14-0.

However, Scotland pirated a loose line-out tap down, Gregor Townsend danced through their defence and Alan Tait toufhed down. Logan converted, then missed another kickable penalty and, right on half-time, Wilkinson goaled a penalty to put England 17-7 up at the break.

Scotland were right back in the game early in the second half, when Tait scythed through for his second try, again converted by Logan. England looked to have made the game safe in 67 minutes, when full-back Nick Beal finished off a sniping Matt Dawson run, and Wilkinson converted to make it 24-14.

Townsend then ensured a nervy finish for the home team with an opportunist try, converted by Logan, however, England held out for a win which, though it denied Scotland a Grand Slam could not deny them the title, after Scott Gibbs earned honourary Scottish nationality in the dying minutes of the final game.

1974

FIFTY years ago, the Calcutta Cup game was changed for ever. Prior to this match, it had always been the final game in the Five Nations. That year, however, the schedule was re-arranged and the game, at Murrayfield, was the second of the tournament. Scotland had lost 0-6 to Wales first time out, so, a morale-boosting win was sought. Things began well for the home team as Andy Irvine kicked a long-range penalty, then converted after Wilson Lauder galloped over.

England rallied, however and an unconverted Fran Cotton try and an Alan Old penalty made it 9-7 to Scotland at the interval.

England attacked constantly in the third quarter, but stout Scottish defence, with Ian McGeechan outstanding, kept them out. The final quarter, however, was the very definition of a big finish.

Tony Neary crashed over off a tapped penalty to put England 11-9 ahead, only for Irvine to go over for an unconverted try, and Scotland led 13-11. Then, with a mere three minutes left, Peter Rossborough gathered a slack clearance and dropped a 35-yard dropped goal to put the visitors ahead 14-13.

Into injury time then, with England holding on grimly, before, in the 83^rd minute, Irvine sent the whole of Scotland wild when, with the last kick of the game, he converted a penalty from right on the touchline, 40-yards out and Scotland had regained the Calcutta Cup.

1949

SEVENTY-FIVE years ago was yet another “Disaster for Scotland” at Twickenham, with England comfortably winning 19-3. Scotland defended stoutly in the first half, but, on the attack, could make nothing of the English defence and when winger Tom Jackson, in his 12^th and final cap – before Army duties and his progression to the rank of Brigadier General forced his retirement from playing – aggravated an existing knee injury and was a passenger for the final 55 minutes.

England took advantage, to go 8-0 ahead in the second half. Scotland lock GA Wilson (Oxford University) marked his third and final cap with a penalty goal, his only international points. However, England added two further tries, converting the second, to complete the scoring.

1924

IN MANY WAYS the match 100 years ago was the sorrow before the happiness – a 19-0 England win. The Triple Crown was up for grabs in this game, but, it wasn't to be although the following season's Grand Slam was perhaps consolation.

It was a case, in the end, of better chance taking by England, backed up by some resolute tackling from the home team, with Bristol full-back BS Chantrill making three try-saving tackles to deny the great Oxford University winger Ian Smith.

1899

TWICKENHAM was still a market garden in the final years of Queen Victoria's reign, so, in 1899, 125 years ago, Scotland travelled to Blackheath's Rectory Field, to post a win, very-much against the odds, winning 5-0.

Debutant JI Gillespie (Edinburgh Academical) was a late call-up to the team, but he managed, in the second half, to dribble through the

English defence to touch down for the only try of the game, converted by West of Scotland's WJ Thomson.

Scotland played most of the game with a recast team. Scrum-half JW Simpson (Royal High School FP) twisted a knee and hirpled on as a second full-back, with Watsonians' HO Smith coming out of the path to prove a more than adequate deputy.

1874

FOOTBALL history tells us that in the 1870s, under the influence of Queen's Park, Scotland was accused of “cheating”, when we pioneered the passing game. Similar accusations were flying around when England won the match, at the Oval by a dropped goal to a try.

AK Stewart (Edinburgh University), making his debut for Scotland, was known as a pioneer of the new notion of “Chucking the ball around” rather than allowing the forward to maul to their hearts' content and the way the Scottish backs inter-passed caused much comment among the 4000 spectators.

The Scots felt hard done by when what looked like a good Stewart try was erroneously disallowed, but, they were awarded a try, when JF Findlay (Edinburgh Academical) crashed over. However, back then, it was goals that counted and T Chalmers (Glasgow Academicals) failed to add the extras.

Still Scotland led, but, with time running out, H Freeman of the splendidly-named Marlborough Nomads snatched victory with a dropped goal, reportedly measured at from 80 yards.

No Calcutta Cup to be won 150 years ago however; it was still five years away from being donated for competition.