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Andy Irvine inspires victory over France 1980

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Having failed to win any of their thirteen previous internationals, there was little cause for optimism amongst Scottish supporters as they gathered at Murrayfield to witness the Five Nations encounter with France on 16 February 1980.True, they had managed three draws in that sequence, but a 22-15 defeat in Ireland in the first match of the season was hardly the start they had been looking for and with two difficult matches to come, the “Wooden Spoon“beckoned unless the Scots could raise their game.

Only the fact that Scotland's matches against France had traditionally gone the way of the home side - although the French had won in Edinburgh on their last visit in 1978 - gave any reason to believe that the miserable sequence would come to an end.

As the game got underway, scrum-half Jerome Gallion put France 4-0 ahead with an unconverted try, however John Rutherford touched down for Scotland to level the scores. Andy Irvine's missed conversion was the first of a series of attempts at goal that failed to find the target and the Heriot's FP full-back came under pressure from the unsettled crowd, who called for him to be replaced as kicker.

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At the interval the French led 7-4, following a penalty goal from Gabarnet.

Gabarnet added a try early in the second half and although Cassude again missed the conversion, the Lourdes stand-off further stretched the visitors' lead when he dropped a goal.

Leading by fourteen points to four as the game entered its final quarter, the French looked certain to record a second successive win in Edinburgh unless Scotland could stage a remarkable comeback.

Suddenly Scotland began to get their game together. Passes found their targets and handling was more secure! Could they fight back?

Fifteen minutes to go and a magnificent move saw no fewer than eight players handling the ball, creating a gap which allowed Irvine to cross the line at the corner. Facing his most difficult kick of what had been an unsuccessful afternoon with the boot, Irvine finally found his range and Scotland were back within one score of the French, trailing 10-14.

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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.

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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