BBC - A Sporting Nation - Andy Irvine inspires victory over France 1980

Rugby

Andy Irvine inspires victory over France 1980


© SCRAN

With the crowd right behind them, Scotland put the pressure on, and within five minutes had turned the game right round. Again it was Irvine who scored the try, finishing off a move which had once more seen forwards and backs displaying sparkling handling skills. The scores were now level; but Jim Renwick temporarily took over the kicking duties while Irvine gathered his breath and the Hawick man made no mistake with the conversion and Scotland led for the first time in the match.

Having seen what had looked to be an almost certain win snatched from their grasp, France lost their discipline in the closing minutes and conceded more penalties.

By now Irvine was full of confidence and was successful in kicking two more penalties that sealed a 22-14 victory.

In the space of just over 12 minutes, Scotland had turned a ten point deficit into an eight point advantage. With two tries, a conversion and two penalty goals, Irvine himself had been responsible for sixteen of those eighteen points.

France would have to wait until 1994 before they managed to win another game in the Scottish capital, when a 20-12 victory ended their 16 year losing sequence.


	© SCRAN

Sadly though the win was not to transform Scotland's season, as they lost 16-7 to Wales in Cardiff and then went down by thirty points to eighteen at home to Bill Beaumont's England, who thereby completed their first Grand Slam for 23 years. Scotland, meanwhile, were consigned to a share of last place in the table with the only team they defeated, France.

Scotland XV: AR Irvine (Heriot's FP), S Munro (Ayr), JM Renwick (Hawick), DI Johnston (Watsonians), BH Hay (Boroughmuir), JY Rutherford (Selkirk), RJ Laidlaw (Jedforest); JN Burnett (Heriot's FP), CT Deans (Hawick), IG Milne (Heriot's FP), AJ Tomes (Hawick), D Gray (West of Scotland), MA Biggar (London Scottish), JR Beattie (Glasgow Accies), AK Brewster (Stewart's Melville FP).

Points scorers : Tries - JY Rutherford, AR Irvine (2); Conversions - AR Irvine, JM Renwick; Penalty Goals - AR Irvine (2).

Written by: Dave Low

Page: 12

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