Grand Slam was ours, come hell or high water
The Rugby Paper|February 04, 2024
I WAS privileged to play with a fantastic squad of players at what was largely a successful time for the Scotland team. Like any good team we weren’t reliant on any one individual, there was always someone ready to step up and take the lead. Everyone knew their role in the team and mine, as a winger, was obviously to cross the whitewash at all costs and put points on the board. I managed to score 15 tries in 37 Tests but that’s not to say I didn’t make an arse of things many, many times!
Grand Slam was ours, come hell or high water

Funnily enough, in the Ireland game in 1989 when I scored a hattrick, people say to me that must be a great memory. But, you know what, the thing that sticks in the back of my mind is butchering a three-on-one, on the halfway line, towards the end of the first half. All I had to do was draw the full-back and give the pass, but I went myself and the chance went begging. Afterwards, I thought ‘you clown’. Sean (Lineen) and Scott (Hastings) never said anything to me but I knew fine well that they weren’t happy, and rightly so. Ironically, I only got moved to the wing by the coach of Royal High, my old school’s former pupils’ team, because he thought I was too much of a greedy bugger to play scrum-half !

That win over Ireland was one of five wins in six matches against them, the only defeat coming in my debut in 1985. I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again, if it wasn’t for John Rutherford I don’t think I’d have got capped at all. It was John who encouraged me to go to Selkirk after Royal High FP had been relegated straight back down from the First Division having won promotion the year before. John was Mr Scotland Rugby at the time, the main man, and it was a no-brainer to join a club where there were players of his calibre and Iain Paxton’s. John could see the things I needed to work on and at the end of each training session he’d spend half an hour with me working on my box kicking and other areas that needed improvement.

Esta historia es de la edición February 04, 2024 de The Rugby Paper.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición February 04, 2024 de The Rugby Paper.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE RUGBY PAPERVer todo
England can find a little bit of cheer
The Rugby Paper

England can find a little bit of cheer

SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
The Rugby Paper

Stop messing with Marcus - Campese

DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
The Rugby Paper

Being a Lion was the highlight of my career

I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.

time-read
6 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
The Rugby Paper

Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half

THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
The Rugby Paper

Forwards pack a punch for the Reds

OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
The Rugby Paper

Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley

SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
The Rugby Paper

Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon

FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
The Rugby Paper

It's a whole new ball game for Rigg

WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
The Rugby Paper

Scarratt leads the way for Lightning

LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.

time-read
1 min  |
November 24, 2024
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
The Rugby Paper

Becconsall: We need to release pressure

WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024