From The Vaults

There is nothing more thrilling for a crowd than the sight of a winger racing down the touch line, sometimes in the clear and sometimes with defenders to beat. The state of a match inevitably plays its part as an eighty-metre try in the fifth minute is less likely to be remembered than the same try scored in the seventy eighth minute, unless it turns out to have been the decisive score in a very tight match.

Spectators have become used to seeing a relative surfeit of tries in club, regional and international matches in recent times. The remarkable 90-metre try scored by the winger John, now Sir John, Kirwan for the All Blacks against Italy in May 1987 heralded the new era. A succession of thrilling tries has resulted over the last thirty five years due to many factors, including the law changes that have sped up the game and the increased physical fitness and conditioning of players since the launching of the professional game in 1995.

Sixty years ago, Scotland came to Twickenham in search of the Calcutta Cup at the end of a poor season in which they had lost their three matches in Paris, Edinburgh and Cardiff. They had also not won at Twickenham since 1938. England had fared slightly better in beating France at Twickenham but had been beaten in Cardiff and Dublin. Both teams had much to play for on a very damp and muddy pitch.

Out on England's left wing was the Northampton winger, Andrew Hancock, winning his second cap having been called in as a substitute on the morning of the French international. He received three passes during the entire game and it was the third pass that was to ensure his immortality. A Scottish movement had broken down in the English 25 from which the English forwards won the ball. The fly half, England captain Micky Weston, passed out to his left wing - Andy Hancock's words to the BBC years later tell the remainder of the story:

"Micky Weston said 'run' and off I set. Though a tackler came across, I managed to get past him and then it was up to the full-back. Had it been dry he would have put me straight into the stands, but he lost his footing. The covering defence was coming across and I looked inside, it was Budge Rodgers who was covered, so I didn't pass. Luckily enough, it just held them up for a fraction of a second and then it was over to the tryline, with Scottish centre Iain Laughland on my heels.

There were no great celebrations like there are today, one or two came up and said 'well done' and that was it. Not until I read the papers afterwards did I realise what the fuss was all about."

Six years later, the French team came to Twickenham in February 1971 for what can best be termed as a mid-table clash. The England side was captained by the redoubtable Harlequins full back Bob Hiller and their strength lay in a powerful pack. This was matched by a French pack with two remarkable warriors, Walter Spanghero and Benoit Dauga, and a backline of superlative runners whose names still resonate today - Pierre Villepreux at full back, Jean-Pierre Lux and new cap Roland Bertranne in the centres with Jack Cantoni on the wing.

Bob Hiller scored all England's 14 points in the first half to give England a 14-6 lead. A drop goal from fly half Jean-Louis Berot shortly after half-time narrowed the score and then France produced the sort of try that only they could in the 52nd minute. A long kick from David Duckham into the French half was caught by Berot near the right touchline. He evaded Duckham's follow-up tackle and set off crossfield at great pace where he linked up with Roland Bertranne who sold a magnificent dummy to wrongfoot the English defence. He passed on to Lux who increased the pace further, drew the final man and sent the elusive Beziers flyer Jack Cantoni on his path down the left wing with 40 metres to go.

Cantoni's speed was too great and, leaving the English defence spreadeagled with the crowd roaring him on, he crossed over and ran nonchalantly behind the posts to register one of the finest ever tries scored in Anglo-French contests. Villepreux converted and the match ended in a slightly prosaic 14-14 draw but it had been rendered especially memorable by one glorious backline move.

Thirteen years later, the touring Australian side came to Murrayfield in December 1984 in quest of the first Wallaby Grand Slam over the four home countries. They had beaten England and Wales comfortably and overcome Ireland narrowly, but with fly half John Rutherford injured for Scotland, a very strong Australian pack supported by a backline with the incomparable Mark Ella orchestrating at fly half was expected to win comfortably.

On the left wing was the mercurial genius David Campese and his performance that day sealed his reputation as one of the greatest wingers of his age. He scored a fine try at the end of a backline move in the first half, but it was his second and Australia's fourth try near the end of the match which has stayed in the memory. A mazy run from Scottish centre Keith Robertson broke down in the Australian half and the ball came out to Mark Ella who launched Campese outside him with a long pass. Campese set off down the wing and interchanged passes with his number eight Steve Tuynman before storming down the wing for fifty metres to score his second try and seal the Wallaby victory and coveted Grand Slam.

Sources:

• The Book of English Rugby 1871-1982 - John Griffiths (Willow Books 1982)
• Encyclopédie du Rugby Français - Lafond & Bodis (Editions Dehedin, Paris 1989)
• Scottish Rugby Game by Game - Kenneth R Bogle (Luath Press Limited 2013)
• BBC television Interview with Andy Hancock in 2015
• World Rugby Museum scrapbooks and spreadsheets 1871-2024 (compiler: Richard Steele)