Rare Scots triumph on sunlit Twickenham

Press, 7 March 1983, Page 21

Rare Scots triumph on sunlit Twickenham

NZPA-Reuter London Scotland’s determination to avoid finishing bottom of the Five Nations rugby union championship brought it a stirring 22-12 victory over England yesterday, only its fourth triumph at Twickenham. After three defeats . this season, it was a welcome change in fortune for the Scots, but they may still be last in the championship. England can rise above them by winning in Ireland in two weeks time.

But on yesterday’s errorstrewn showing. England will be lucky to collect points in Dublin. It lost to a Scots side whose win was based on a robust performance by its pack and the understanding of the reunited inside backs, John Rutherford and Roy Laidlaw, who crossed for one of two Scottish tries.

The lock forward, Tom Smith, making his international debut, scored the other, while three penalties and a conversion by the fullback, Peter Dods. and a drop goal by Keith Robertson completed the Scottish scoring.

A drop goal by the flyhalf, John Horton, back in the side after a two-year absence and three penalties by the fullback, Dustv Hare, accounted

for England’s points. On a beautiful sunlit afternoon, the match got off to a rousing start. After Horton dropped his goal in the first minute the Scots hit back furiously, deservedly drawing level when Dods kicked a penalty in the twelfth minute following Gary Pearce’s infringement at a ruck. Scotland continued to press resolutely and in the sixteenth minute went ahead. Robertson broke down the centre of the field, linked with Jim Calder whose pass inside looked certain to put Jim Rennick over for a try between the posts, but Steve Smith tackled Rennick before he received the ball and Dods chipped over a penalty which the Scots clearly thought should have been a penalty try.

A run by the wing, Tony Swift, raised the siege on the England line and in the twenty-sixth minute Hare’s first penalty for an offside infringement made the score 6-6. In the 10 minutes before half-time, Dods restored Scotland’s lead when England was penalised at a line-out. but another Hare penalty when Robertson illegally tackled Huw Davies brought parity again at 9-9. The Scots showed no sign

of having been distracted, quickly pouring into English territory and regaining the lead with a solo try by Laidlaw in the forty-seventh minute. From a quick heel, Laidlaw beat the English defence with a looping run and Dods added the conversion points to give Scotland a 15-9 advantage.

Hare put over another penalty awarded by the New Zealand referee, Tom Doocey, in the fifty-ninth minute but right at the end Robertson's drop goal and the towering Smith’s try from a lirie-out gave Scotland a more realistic margin of victory.