CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS 📼 | England v Ireland 1974 |

A chance to look back at a classic encounter between England and Ireland in 1974.
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[@atticbrowser9698]

Fascinating to watch. Scrums formed immediately the ref blows the whistle. No line out gaps and the winger throws the ball in. After a tackle both sets of forwards just pile in. Those were the rules I remember playing under as a schoolboy.

[@crawford1083]

Make today's scrums seem orderly and settled! And I'd forgotten it was wingers who threw in at lineouts not hookers!

[@jonathanryan4497]

What a TRULY GREAT player Mike Gibson was!

[@WillieM149]

A good few are no longer with us - Ray McLoughlin, Moss Keane, Ken Kennedy. RIP boys. Thanks for the boyhood memories of great games.

[@gordonc5354]

The voice of Bill McLaren brought back so many memories.

[@dormanbell8686]

We have a similar individual in France , with his Allez les petits !

[@jptey289]

Toute était plus beau, le stade, les maillots et l'époque En général

[@daraorourke5798]

I was there. Gibson. Genius.

[@MrRugbylane]

"We might not be any good but at leaat we turn up" (John Pullin).

[@stevenlurie1215]

Fergus you bloody legend🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦❤a real hero growing up

[@jamesmcaree4908]

Beautiful real rugby union game between England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 & Ireland 🇮🇪 … both of teams were fantastic in the great entertaining exhibition of freestyle in counterattacks all the time without boring … I adored Mike Gibson the Irish best centre back for his wonderful performance in energetic all-rounded performance in attack & defence - he scored more fabulous tries by a brilliant teamwork from the awesome hard-working Irish players. I enjoyed to watch Alan Old the effective English stand-off which was fantastically scored more phenomenal goal-kicking goals in every impossible long distance so calm & optimistic. I have to say that Willie-John McBride the most legendary rugby union captain was a massive role in heroic success for leading his superb team to win a famous match at Twickenham by his inspiring communication with tactical focus on strong England at this uneasier away ground to any opposite team. Fantastic game 👍🏉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇮🇪

[@kiaoragin]

and how little time Old spent studying his kick beforehand. Those were the days. I watched this match live on RTE back then.

[@melbeeswax6087]

Nice to see Parker from Thunderbirds in the crowd at 9.50

[@BillWhirl]

I love the way the scrum near the end had Ireland in the set position 3 weeks before the Sassanach arrived on the scene😂😂😂😂

[@SupremeBros2012]

Mike Gibson was a monster , what a player This match showed me that England were better than their results , they simply had a selection problem buoyed by selectors who were too emotional to see a process through They got it right briefly in 1980 then in 1988 they had a settled side and game plan

[@Moggy471]

This wasn't even one of his better games. Honestly one of the best players that I have ever seen in 50 odd years, rutinely astonishing.

[@philipackerley5775]

Yep agree, thought MG was brilliant! I have watched a lot of the 70s match footage here on youtube, I saw most of them live in the 70s on the telly as a teenager. It does stand out that England did have many very good players and in fact dominated large periods of play in some games.. but then they seemed to be inhibited at times and crucially seemed to lack a bit of savvy against canny opposition, especially the welsh team who had their number.

[@philipackerley5775]

Fantastic match, my God this takes me back, I think its one of the first matches I ever watched on the telly aged 12., I had just started playing. What stands out: the looseness of the open play, the quick scrums, my all time rugby hero the man Fergus Slattery! ( I am English), Irish style of play still recognisable today. No gym monkeys either, some quite skinny guys on that pitch!

[@joeheritage5195]

It was a different game back then. This is when I started watching rugby.

[@KD-gy5wj]

It was a better game too.

[@MrLinwood68]

Been watching a few of these games from 1974. No wonder the Lions were so strong that year.

[@FrankOBrien-ti7ny]

I know Gibson had a great game but Slattery was everywhere.

[@andrewkelly7799]

17:22 "That's no place for the weak hearted" as 6 studs rake your back. Lol different but still exciting game

[@melbeeswax6087]

I think he was at the peak of his powers in the 70s. His turn of phrase was superb

[@aglobetrottingwriter9266]

Love these old highlights. The ref appears to be wearing a man at C&A business shirt.

[@davidw.robertson448]

It is very noticeable how much less musclebound the players are. They look positively lightweight compared with the behemoths in today's game.

[@LeMerch]

They’d be conditioned well but nowhere near the precision conditioning they have today

[@ComboMuster]

They made up for toughness and spirit. Also a lot less prone to injury. No additives, just bio 😁😁😁

[@dougerrohmer]

Noticed how quickly the game moves - set pieces happen without delay because you don't have big bodies tired of dragging themselves around.

[@vikingfitz9088]

I doubt many of the modern players would end up holding a world record for indoor rowing like Andy Ripley. It’s a different game alright!

[@johnmc3862]

They were also quite similar in size. Not like now all different sizes and shapes according to position.

[@expressoevangelism80]

Such a more simple and straightforward game in those days. The highlights of individual brilliance were memories that last. That was the game I grew up to love. Now ⁉️

[@brianmsahin]

Wow, no hanging around with the scrum in those days, straight in there. Forget, crouch, bind and set. 🤣🤣🤣

[@Moggy471]

The only imput the ref had was to make a mark where the scrum was and then look for a crooked put in. Get on wiyh it boys.

[@JP1234815]

Seems to be the same with other sports too. Cricket back in '74 too seemed to be quicker too - ie fewer hold ups, bowlers bowling, getting back to their mark and bowling again. Today there seems to be a hold up for the slightest thing whatever the sport!!

[@hartleyhare99]

Great stadium, proper kits.

[@andrewdunne1735]

Ireland ahead, Astonishingly,says the bold Bill McLaren, not so astonishing these days!

[@desmonddoyle4470]

Yea,and even more astonishingly we won the 5 nations that year.was at this game and we had some session in the bar under the old south terrace afterwards.

[@aughalough1]

And the ref give all penalties to England.

[@chrisbaxter3597]

@@aughalough1 oh dear - some people can’t help themselves

[@anthonyfitzgerald8201]

England v Ireland during the 70s, sounds fantastic

[@houndofzoltan]

When six feet four was huge.

[@JP1234815]

Yep, Andy Ripley at 6 feet seven being the exception rather than the rule.

[@sexobscura]

I'd have to say that it sort of still is

[@jameshogan6142]

@@JP1234815 I seem to remember some of the French players during Serge Blanco's time as being 6' 10". They absolutely towered over Blanco. But that was very exceptional.

[@ComboMuster]

Epic game! Irish all warrior balls out, English somehow cautious and tactics. Fortune always favours the brave!

[@philipackerley5775]

Too true ! I remember being mainly frustrated watching the England team through the 70s as a 12 year+ old supporter. On this video theres my all time rugby hero the main man Fergus Slattery , that was a very good Irish team.

[@donalowens1114]

I had forgotten how chaotic both line-outs and scrums were. I mean, I knew they were messy, but Jeez. And then the decision to kick the penalty when 9-26 down!!!! To be fair, the word amateur does come to mind.

[@markalexwhite]

7:13 Was 1974 the last time a penalty was awarded for a crooked scrum feed?! :-)

[@suffern63]

They should bring it back

[@dereklyle6589]

Real rugby playing "stars". Both teams contained some of the best talent of the era before they screwed it all up and made it into a business. Sad to say that "professional" rugby does little or nothing for me as a former player in the 60's. The quality of commentary was totally professional in that I have never heard anyone more knowledgeable or as unbiased than Big Bill.

[@FrankOBrien-ti7ny]

Characters too. Slattery, Willie John ... Moss Keane and Willie Duggan a little later on. Nowadays the furthest 'character' goes is a tattoo or a man-bun. Imagine Moss Keane with a man-bun ...

[@JP1234815]

The BBC showed the whole 80 minutes of this match when a round of the 5 Nations was cancelled due to bad weather in the mid 80's. It would be great if the BBC could release the full 80 minutes of these matches on DVD!! Unfortunately I fear that the whole match might have been lost forever with it being taped over!!

[@thischannelhasnoname5780]

Great match. England's inconsistency and amateurism, typical of the period for them, really shows here. Gibson - what class.

[@maelughran6981]

A great match featuring the world's best ever backline player.... CMH 'Mike' Gibson! Until Antoine Dupont put in an appearance.

[@neilrafferty2097]

Mike Gibson could have done it in any era.

[@dougerrohmer]

16:40 THERE'S Wally!

[@gspeers5667]

Oh halcyon days when the game was played in the right spirit and by "normal" men not the oversized robots of today! I remember watching this as a 19 year old and thrilling at the performances of Gibson and co. The 5 nations (as it was then) was one of my annual sporting highlights - such a shame that money in the name of professionalism has completely ruined the modern game to the point where I don't bother watching it!

[@gunneronfire]

How the game has changed?!.No subs.5 mins for half time, stayed on the pitch, with orange slices!. Sidesteps esp Gibson. Duckham throwing into lineouts!. Lock Uttley takes a mark on a kickoff and takes penalty himself! The speed of the scrum forming, penalties for crooked feeds! The Eng no.10 puts the ball down and immediately kicks a penalty!, even from halfway!. Todays officials, take note.

[@deswilliamson]

The Irish team visited our school that year. They were like giants. I got all their autographs but had no idea how good they were

[@ramthian]

❤❤❤😊

[@shakes.dontknowwhatyergettin]

21:36 Rassie, is that you?

[@garymacdonald7165]

Could never understand why England used to wear Scotland socks!

[@chrisbaxter3597]

In what way were they Scotland’s socks ?

[@garymacdonald7165]

@@chrisbaxter3597 Dark Blue!

[@melbeeswax6087]

They're black. I heard England chose white shirt, white shorts and black socks as they are the colours of Rugby school.

[@chrisbaxter3597]

@@melbeeswax6087 oh course they are - they were black not blue - G Macdonald is colour blind

[@shane-irish]

Love beaten the english 😄

[@apexmanayt5319]

Wow. No referee being the commentor. Simple.ley the players play. Crouch touch bind...use it..use it..

[@25pappy]

Who is the Irish fullback with the un-irish sounding name, Tony Ensa?

[@stephenmcloughlin7718]

Tony Ensor I think.

[@mickeyffrenchdavis5129]

From bunclody in wexford

[@softwareofexcellence]

I don't think England had a proper domestic club competition in those days

[@thurmanmerman2720]

They didn't and neither did Ireland! Ireland only had provincial league and cup competitions, with the cups being much more prestigious. There were provincial representative games of course, which worked as trials for the international team.

[@chriswright9096]

wot, no kicking tee?

[@justsceptic3085]

funny!

[@samkirwan254]

No one going to mention the ref wearing a red dress shirt?

[@shane-irish]

Because he wasent wearing a dress mayby

[@jamesryder3279]

The refs in those days were representing their unions not the IRB (world rugby) and were awarded their shirts and caps the same as the players

[@samkirwan254]

@@shane-irish you don't know what a dress is do you?

[@samkirwan254]

@@jamesryder3279 yeah and later on they'd wear something more similar to a rugby shirt with the badge if their union on, tbh I'd prefer it to go back to that

[@shane-irish]

@@samkirwan254 🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️

[@crawford1083]

I know it is nearly 50 years on but Twickenham looks on a different planet now from then!

[@peternolan5353]

#10 for England, puts 5he ball down and 10 seconds later kicks. Not like that OWEN FARRELL, 5mins to take a kick

[@philipmarsden7104]

@peternolan33: 😉You exaggerate just a little! There is no way on this good earth that Owen Farrell would be so quick as to take only 5 minutes!

[@bobbytreetop1701]

Clash of the public schoolboys.

[@philipmccarthy6175]

England were terrible in those days.

[@mikewilliams4499]

Sorry but I never saw Alain old tackle and while Duckham was incredible in attack, My Granny tackled better.

[@benbrooks8895]

Rubbish Old like Duckham had the full set of skills. Unlike the allegedly great Wales side of the 70's England beat the All Blacks and South Africans . Tony Neary played in England and Northern division side that beat the All Blacks several times, Selection was not at ita best then though

[@tonyflanagan8265]

Quinn one of worst number 10 ever

[@johnnerding8551]

NO rainbow referee shirts here !!!

[@perievonpeggie1341]

👺

[@ldfreitas9437]

Tony Ensor looks all of ten stone soaking wet. He'd never be considered in our modern professional era of mostly muscle-bound freaks playing the game along with 6'5' inside centers, who'd have been stuck into the second row back in these times.