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Rugby

Grand Slam 1990

Scotland against England. The victors would win not only the Calcutta Cup but also the championship, the Triple Crown and the Grand Slam. Seldom before had one Five Nations match offered such a prize.

The media hype in the build-up was unprecedented. The perception of English arrogance in assuming they simply had to turn-up to win was used to motivate the Scots.

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Television pictures of English captain Will Carling telling his team that they were better than their opponents raised the hackles; tales of 鈥淓ngland Grand Slam 1990鈥� t-shirts and ties being on sale in Edinburgh before the game heightened the frenzy and when David Sole led the Scots on a slow, determined march out of the Murrayfield tunnel ahead of the game, emotions were at fever pitch.

鈥淔lower of Scotland鈥� has rarely been sung with such gusto and with such backing the Scots tore into their opponents.

Chalmers landed two early penalties before Guscott scored a try for England. Incredibly, it was their first touch down at Murrayfield for ten years, but that mattered far less than its immediate impact, which was to narrow the Scots' lead to two points.

Boosted by their score England laid siege to the Scottish goal-line, but as they had displayed in their matches in Cardiff and Dublin, the Scots defence was made of stern stuff and held firm against the onslaught.

Instead it was Scotland who got the only other score of the half, a third Chalmers penalty leaving Scotland with a 9-4 advantage as the teams changed round.

The next score would be vital and it was only seconds away.

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From the re-start, Scotland attacked; Gavin Hastings chipped the ball towards the line and winger Tony Stanger was first on the scene to grab the bouncing ball before diving to score and ensure that England would have to score at least twice to secure the tie that would give them the title on points difference.

For much of the remainder of the game Scotland were on the back foot, but time after time the white jerseys were repelled. Every time a gap appeared, a blue jersey filled it; whenever an English player threatened to score he was laid flat.

England could only add a single Rob Andrew penalty to their earlier score as the Scots showed no sign of buckling and when the final whistle sounded, heralding a 13-7 win, the celebratory roar must surely have been heard all over Edinburgh.

Written by: Dave Low