On Saturday 4th February, the 2023 Guinness Six Nations will commence and the Calcutta Cup will once again be the competition’s curtain raiser. England look for a fresh start in their newly appointed Head Coach Steve Borthwick, he is set to take the reigns for the first time against Scotland.
Throughout the legendary 151 year history, the old enemies of England and Scotland have produced some classic encounters. Let’s look over five of the most poignant, exhilarating and important moments to have ever taken place between the rivals.
The Birth of a Rivalry – Scotland 1-0 England: Exhibition Match – 27th March 1871
The match that started it all. The inaugural encounter between Scotland and England took place when none other than Queen Victoria sat upon the throne. As the score-line suggests, this match did not take place under the recognised rugby laws that we are accustomed to today, instead the only way to score a point for your team was to successfully convert a try.
Taking place north of the border in Raeburn’s Place, Edinburgh, little over 4,000 spectators attended this match. In what would today have finished 7-5 to Scotland, both sides scored a try, yet it was William Cross who slotted the monumental conversion for Scotland’s victory. Angus Buchannan, a dual-code player who also starred for the nation’s cricket team, has the accolade of scoring the first ever try in an international.
The return fixture the following year saw England record their first ever win, and a rivalry was born.
2. The Five Nations Grudge Match – Scotland 13-7 England: 1990 Five Nations Championship
A game of rugby that transcended the sport. The match was so much more than just the on-field action, as an unsettled political relationship between England and Scotland had emerged. The coronation fixture in match Scotland’s Five Nations Grand Slam crown, this battle between the old enemies is best remembered for Scotland’s victory in a diplomatically tense era.
In simplified terms, Margaret Thatcher and the Poll Tax had made life incredibly difficult for the hard-working people of Northern England and Scotland. Tax raises and union cuts made the English Prime Minister an unpopular figure outside of Westminster. In life, Scotland felt like the underdogs, and they brought this fight to the pitch to win a monumental Five Nations Championship. Three penalties from Craig Chalmers, and Anthony Stranger’s try established enough points for Scotland to secure the victory at Murrayfield.
Now the topic of the BT Sport documentary ‘The Grudge’, which follows the book by Tom English, ‘The Grudge: Two Nations, One match, No Holds Barred’ this historically significant fixture will be remembered for Scotland’s success in a time when the odds were against them on and off the pitch.
3. Gavin Hastings Misses Penalty – England 9-6 Scotland: 1991 Rugby World Cup Semi Final
Widley regarded as one of the finest full-backs to ever play the sport, Hastings was used to slotting crucial conversions for his country. However, in 1991, Hastings had the opportunity to send Scotland through to their first ever World Cup Final. A match tied at six points each, coming into the final moments, Scotland are awarded a penalty for foul play in the breakdown.
Up steps Hastings, under 20m out, not one bets against him. Yet an untimely slice of the ball sends the kick attempt past the right-hand post, to the shocked surprise of the Murrayfield crowd. England’s Christopher Andrew later found the opportunity to slot a drop goal, and take England through to the final, and eventual silver medal at the hands of Australia.
Despite the match being a try-less encounter, this timeless classic in the Scottish capitol with be forever remembered for Hastings miss-kick, and the feeling of “what could have been” for Scotland.
4. History Made by Women’s World Cup Hosts – Scotland 0-26 England: 1996 Women’s World Cup
When the only second ever Women’s Rugby World Cup was cancelled just two weeks before kick-off, there was little hope for a thriving women’s game. Originally scheduled to be held in Amsterdam, the tournament was pulled by officials in The Netherlands, with no replacement lined-up. The cancellation was made as the tournament board failed to gain official recognition from the IRB, and failed to achieve rights to the name ‘Women’s Rugby World Cup’.
This resulted in funding cuts across the competition, and the likes of New Zealand, Spain and the Netherlands withdrawing their teams. Then up-stepped Scotland. Rebelling against the proposed sanctions, Scotland selflessly took over matters, and held the competition as last minute hosts. They were drawn into Pool B with England, and the two played their first international women’s game in the landmark tournament.
A 26-0 victory to England marked the occasion, with England then proceeding to fight their way through to World Cup glory. But all credit must go to Scotland, had England’s oldest enemy not offered to host the tournament, then they would have gone without their eventual World Cup triumph. This anti-establishment Scottish attitude helped lay the foundations for the progressing women’s game we see today, and such significant pioneers will be remembered all these years later.
5. George Ford Ends The Great Twickenham Comeback – England 38-38 Scotland: 2019 Six Nations Championship
If there were ever an opportune time to use the old sports cliché, this was the definition of ‘A game of two halves’ this certainly was the match. England hosted Scotland to Twickenham Stadium, and in the first 35 minutes, established a dominant 31-0 lead. Tries from Jack Nowell, Tom Curry, Joe Launchbury and Jonny May, all successfully converted by the astute kicking of Owen Farrell left the Twickenham crowd delighted, with a 31-7 gap at the interval.
Then the cracks began to emerge. Darcey Graham fought his way through England’s defence, cutting in off the right wing to score. Magnus Bradbury followed this up, and Scotland had halved the lead with over an hour remaining. Graham crossed over once more, and Farrell’s intercepted pass gifted Finn Russell a run-in, and equalised the epic contest.
An incredible solo score from Sam Johnson saw him battle his way through multiple tackle attempts, and cap off a line-break from the English 10m line. Scotland’s impossible lead was achieved, yet unfortunately short-lived for the ecstatic visitors. George Ford’s leveller in the final play of the game saved England from an unforgettable defeat, in a one-of-a-kind Calcutta Cup match.