CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS | England v Scotland | 1981

A look back at a classic encounter between England and Scotland from 1981.
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[@user-ew1wh3mz7p]

I started watching rugby in the mid-80s when I started playing. So much space on the pitch because there are normal size humans playing. Everyone had to run all game - the teams couldn't carry 23stone props who walk around for 55mins, and everyone went back to work on Monday. It was a break from the grind, not the grind itself, as the late, great Bill Mcclaran said

[@ldfreitas9437]

You got it all right. I started about a decade before you, as my university had a team (Santa Clara, in California), and played there and then club rugby after a few years off. I was in my prime I guess in the mid-80s. My club side had two teams, most other clubs in the San Francisco area did too. Seems after I stopped playing and went into refereeing that there were less club sides, many with just one side, but more universities were playing. Now my referee days are very, very numbered.

[@ldfreitas9437]

This is how rugby was once played, lots of space for the backs to run, forwards fighting for possession, all the players in this game going the full 80 minutes that was for international matches, at a time when many a club match was still just 70 minutes long (35 minute halves). No defensive lines, no phony rucks, no TMOs.

[@LeighRichards27]

Well said. Modern rugby union has become a turgid spectacle - a hybrid cross between rugby lge and american football and largely consisting of width of the field defensive lines and huge hulking forwards engaged in attritional warfare in order to gain a few yards (and it was epitomised by the borefest that was last years world cup final)

[@ldfreitas9437]

@@LeighRichards27 Glad you agree. I'm still refereeing. At my age, 69, I usually get assigned women's university matches (this is Northern California), so they do make mistakes and mistakes lead to scoring opportunities. If there's one real beef I have, it was the change in law that doesn't allow a player to take the ball back into the 22 and kick out. And what's with the scrum half "rucking" the ball back in these phony rucks? What are forwards for?

[@merv592]

Couldn't agree more. Great to see normal sized human beings. There are too many substitutes allowed today, if they had to play the full 80 mins there would be far fewer monsters playing. Also the scrums don't take up about 25% of the total time. It's the game I played, I admire the players of today but I can't relate how the game is played.

[@timtam6442]

When was the last time you saw a dive pass from 9? Absolutely wonderful

[@ldfreitas9437]

Smith and Laidlaw were two of the best, next to the man sitting next to McClaren, Edwards.

[@robertshears8385]

I must have watched this match live but could remember so little of it today. A feast of stars on both sides.

[@alanscott6836]

Phenomenal game of rugby

[@Wolfsong27FlyHalfFullHeart]

Classic 80s style rugby rough and tumble all the way, I miss rugby man when is the six nations going to start?

[@terminallyinquisitive1731]

Forgot what great acceleration Slemen had...but that try by Woodward still ranks as one of the best solo tries of all time

[@harrynewiss4630]

Good match, good win for England

[@AreJayCee]

A lot of legends on the pitch

[@mikejames4540]

The best feature for me was the running 10 (Davies) for England. Far too much possession is kicked away, in my opinion, these days. We’ll see what happens in the coming Six Nations.

[@andrewgirdlestone7607]

A wonderful classic match, I would be about 10-11 at the time, my Cousin (Godfather) had just come down into digs by Kneller Hall, Royal Military school of music, and had a great view between the stands (as were) so after cycling down after my Karate lessons would watch these matches through binoculars in part and live TV. Great for me this really got me into rugby not so much for my cousin is an ardent Football (Leeds) supporter, and at 53 am still playing the wonderful game. A lot of law changes over the years some good Some bad. Gentleman thoughts on law changes since this match?

[@SupremeBros2012]

Woodward was quite a player, a bit of a mismatch with that English side's strategy Can't believe Slemen is gone :( Hugh Davies proved a worthy replacement for the dropped John Horton On theScottish side, always good to see Renwick, Irvine, Calder , Laidlaw and Rutherford in action

[@timtam6442]

He roomed with Irishman Rodney O’Donnell on the 1980 Lions tour. O’Donnell broke his neck on training, which ended his career. They remain best of friends to this day and exchange cigars every Christmas and Mew Year

[@simontaylor2525]

Best thing: one solo commentator.

[@southafrica73]

Who actually knows about the game!

[@ldfreitas9437]

No, Gareth Edwards is with Bill McClaren in the presenter's box. He didn't say all that much, which was a good thing.

[@terryharrison5185]

​@@ldfreitas9437there's always a know all 🙄

[@garymacdonald7165]

Never understood why England wore Scotland socks! Surely red socks would be more appropriate?

[@ronhall9039]

@@garymacdonald7165 I'm not 100% sure but the lore is that the English strip is from the Lancashire County XV Colours - they were all that was available for the England side at their first game (against the Scots). Hence the Lancastrian Red Rose (allegedly)

[@rcmoedas]

👍🏽 4

[@cgjoe64]

When rugby was a real spectacle. The game flowed much better. Professionalism ruined the sport. The front rows had to be able to run for 80 minutes. My brother and I came to blows on a difference of opinion about professionalism. What made the game so different was that everyone had to go to work on Monday morning.

[@Demun1649]

Even though I know what happened, in the match, I am still waiting for the tackles, from England, that put the other players off the field. They are in the top three dirty teams in the world.

[@neilcarpenter2669]

Either you are ignorant or biased because England are a lot of things but dirty isn't one of them, The Welsh, Scots, Irish, SA , NZ , French, Argentina and Pacific islanders are all dirtier than the English.

[@rdgrdg1632]

Stupid comment

[@jingleballix]

Terrible sideways back-play from ENG........later, the Australians showed them how to play.

[@ronhall9039]

not lately though...