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The Grand Slam of 1984

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Having won only one of their matches in the 1983 Five Nations Championship, thoughts of a Grand Slam were not uppermost in Scottish minds as the 1984 tournament got under way.

However, there was cause for optimism. Not only had Scotland come closer than ever to gaining a first ever win over New Zealand in the autumn international - only a missed conversion attempt in the dying minutes by Peter Dods allowed the All Blacks to leave Murrayfield with a 25-25 draw, but it could also be argued that the fixture list fell kindly for the Scots.

Home advantage against the two sides likely to be Scotland's closest challengers, England and France, were interspersed with away games against Wales and Ireland, meaning that there was a realistic chance of victory in each of the games.

Cardiff Arms Park was never an easy ground for opposing sides, so when Scotland emerged from their opening game of the season with a 15-9 success over Wales, it gave rise to thoughts that something special might be occurring. Tries by Ian Paxton and skipper Jim Aitken, the latter converted by Dods who also added a penalty, were enough to win a match which Scotland dominated and could have won more convincingly.

The result was an ideal confidence booster for the Scots as they returned to Murrayfield for their hundredth match against the Auld Enemy, England.

David Johnson's first half try, converted by Dods was enough to give Scotland a narrow 6-3 lead at the interval; Dusty Hare having kicked England's only points from a penalty.

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Scotland stretched their lead in the second half when Kennedy's touch down was converted by Dods and although Hare again kept England in touch, the rampant Scottish pack were dominating the game and when Dods added two penalties late in the game he secured the victory by 18 points to 6.

Scotland travelled to Lansdowne Road, Dublin, for their third match in the series, knowing that victory against Ireland would not only ensure the Triple Crown for the first time in forty-six years, but would also leave them one step away from a Grand Slam.

Any thoughts that they may struggle were banished early on as they raced into a twelve point lead in the opening minutes; thanks to a Laidlaw try converted by Dods, who also added two penalties.

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Buoyed by their start, Scotland kept the pressure on throughout the first half, and by the time the interval arrived the game was all but won. The Scots had scored two more tries - the first a penalty try, the second again by scrum half Roy Laidlaw - and with Dods being successful in converting the former, the 22-0 margin at the break was extremely comfortable.

With the wind at their backs in the second period, Ireland did improve and briefly threatened as they pulled the score back to 9-22, but a try by Keith Robertson, again converted by Dods ended home thoughts of a comeback. It fell to Dods himself to round off the afternoon with Scotland's fourth and final try in a 32-9 success.

Although Scotland had home advantage in their final game against the French, no-one expected them to have an easy game as they went in search of their first Grand Slam since 1925. With France also having won their first three matches, it was a winner-takes-all situation in front of a packed Murrayfield crowd.

The visitors took the game to the Scots early on, and despite an early Dods penalty, the French seemed to be in charge as they led 6-3 at the break and soon after extended that margin to 9-3. Dods slotted two penalties to bring the scores level, before a Lescarboura drop goal again put Les Blues ahead.

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Once more, Dods pulled Scotland level and with the crowd roaring them on the Scots raised their game to new heights.

From a line-out almost on the French goal-line, Jim Calder took a clean catch and plunged over to give the Scots a dramatic lead. Dods again kept his nerve with the boot and Scotland now held a six point advantage. Even with time running out, the French still had the chance to draw level, but when Dods kicked another penalty to bring his personal tally for the season to 50 points, Scotland's 21-12 victory was assured.

Written by: Dave Low