A look back at some of the best English tries from the 5 Nations championship in the 1980's. Watch some English wizardry as their backline cut through the opposition defences to score some great tries!
Back when England's selectors were professional. At the training session before the 1981 match in Dublin, Blakeway and Smart, the England props, were asked who they thought should be the replacement prop (only one allowed then). Smart replied, and Blakeway concurred, that they should NOT select Austin Sheppard of Bristol, as though he was an excellent loose head, he was incapable of playing on the tight head: what was needed was someone capable of playing on either side. At the end of the session the team was announced: Sheppard was the replacement prop. Cue the match day, and after 4 minutes Blakeway had to leave the field, injured, meaning Smart had to swap to the tight head, a position at which he admitted to being a complete novice. Somehow England won 6-10.
Yeah England were the whipping team back then apart from a GS in 1980 but Wales lost at Twickenham having scored two tries to England’s four penalties with Paul Ringer getting sent off for Wales in the first half .
