1991 – England 9 Scotland 6
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was spread across five countries like some mad hatter’s picnic. Otley, Twickenham, Pontypridd, Dublin, Agen, Murrayfield … the only constants were England’s no-nonsense forward pack and David Campese in wind-up mode. Most remember the other semi-final, in which Campese’s brilliance shredded the All Blacks at the old Lansdowne Road, more than England’s last-four contest against Scotland in Edinburgh. With good reason: it was among the dourest knockout games in the tournament’s history. It was still 6-6 when Scotland were awarded a second-half penalty about 20 metres out just to the right of the posts. Gavin Hastings carefully settled the ball on a pile of sand – remember them? – and all of Scotland (and England) awaited the formality of three points. What we didn’t know was that Scotland’s captain had just been clattered by Mickey Skinner and was still slightly shaken. The kick missed to the right and a subsequent Rob Andrew drop goal sent England through, only for his side to lose the final against Australia in another low-scoring game. My own abiding memory of 1991? Nipping out to a Dublin pub for a quiet semi-final week pint of Guinness and bumping into the Wallaby front row, already in situ at the bar. Ah, ye olde amateur days.
