From The Vaults

Former Club Secretary of Shirley Wanders tells the story of the disappearance of the crossbar from the goal post at Twickenham after the 1965 Oxford vs Cambridge match.

The 1965 Oxford and Cambridge Varsity Match at Twickenham ended in a draw - one of only a handful since the fixture began in 1872, and a rarity that would occur just once more in the next fifty years.

In the 1960s, Twickenham - like many sports grounds - was a far less controlled environment. There was minimal separation between crowd and pitch, and post-match security was limited. Pitch invasions were not uncommon, and there was a general culture in which taking a "souvenir" - anything from turf to signage - was not unheard of.

Goalposts were wooden and assembled in sections, unlike today's fixed metal structures. In a way that would be unthinkable at the modern 82,000-seat stadium, it was entirely possible for something as large as a crossbar to simply disappear.

After the 1965 Varsity Match, that is exactly what happened - the crossbar disappeared shortly after the game.

At the time, I was club secretary of the South London rugby club, Shirley Wanderers. A few days after the disappearance, I was contacted by a reporter from the Daily Mail, who asked if, as secretary of Shirley Wanderers, I would comment on rumours that the club had been involved. I assured him I knew absolutely nothing about it, but agreed to meet him the following evening.

We met as arranged at the club house in the December evening gloom and he asked his questions. I assured him the committee would investigate the matter and if we discovered anything would ensure that any persons responsible would return the crossbar and apologise to the RFU.

After he left, I switched on a few more lights to check the clubhouse before locking up - and was met with an extraordinary sight. High up along the wall, resting above the window surrounds, was the missing crossbar. Its white paint blended so neatly with the walls that it might easily have gone unnoticed at first glance.

The crossbar was eventually returned to Twickenham by the perpetrators, accompanied by a letter of apology and a donation from the club. No further action was taken by the Rugby Football Union.

I can say in all earnestness that I never knew for certain who was responsible - until recently, when I read the obituary of a former club member and noticed the line: "Crossbar Wrangler, 1965."

About the Author - Chris Leech played rugby from 1957 to 1967. He played school rugby for Seaford College in West Sussex and club rugby for Shirley Wanderers, a South London club that eventually amalgamated with others to form Croydon Rugby Club, as it is known today.

He was the Club Secretary of Shirley Wanderers between 1964 and 1967, and as such, served as the club's spokesperson during the 1965 cross bar incident.