To mark Coventry Rugby’s a hundred and fiftieth anniversary yr former Coventry Telegraph and Birmingham Mail rugby author Paul Smith appears again on a few of the membership’s most memorable matches with the assistance of those that had been there.
The collection continues with the April 1974 Twickenham cup last win over London Scottish which saved the RFU Cup at Coundon Street for a second consecutive yr.
Placing it in Context
As Cov gear as much as face London Scottish of their a hundred and fiftieth anniversary season, the flip of the yr has additionally introduced the golden jubilee of their assembly with the Exiles within the 1974 cup last.
They had been very completely different occasions! Coventry’s automobile trade was the envy of the world and the town’s rugby membership wasn’t far behind the Talbot Sunbeam when it got here to placing the Three Spires metropolis on the map.
Cov’s novice squad took break day work to play and prepare in 50-plus ‘friendlies’ however no league video games throughout a season which (with no exceptions allowed) started on September 1st and ended on April thirtieth.
On the pitch a attempt was value 4 factors whereas a rugby group consisted of 15 gamers and may one get injured, as Bristol’s John Pullin had when breaking a leg throughout Cov’s 1973 cup last win, 14.
A card was what gamers acquired by submit when referred to as up for England quite than a refereeing package bag important. Preventing was a part of the sport and because of this being despatched off was a badge of honour belonging to just a few correct exhausting nuts.
This was a time when shirt numbering was fairly haphazard. For instance, whereas London Scottish’s full again wore no.15 at Twickenham, Peter Rossborough wore no.1. The opposing hookers wore no.2 and no.9 and most confusingly of all Cov no.8 Les Rolinson wore no.14!
Gloucester received the primary iteration of the RFU Cup in 1972 – the strictly novice standing of the game meant no sponsor’s identify was permissible again then.
However such was Coventry’s domination of all-comers in a two-decade lengthy golden period commencing within the mid-1950’s, it was solely a query of time till the trophy made its method to Coundon Street.
With a 27-15 win over previous rivals Bristol David Duckham’s group duly obliged 12 months later and had been scorching favourites to double up once they confronted the Exiles at HQ in 1974’s last.
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire’s John Butler remembers the cup marketing campaign of fifty years in the past:
“Cov started by taking up Burton, Staffordshire’s county cup winners, on the previous Peel Croft floor. I effectively recall the locals being bitterly upset when David Duckham dropped out on the day of the sport earlier than the guests received 51-9.
“Subsequently, Gosforth had been overwhelmed 15-6 at Coundon Street earlier than Cov claimed a 19-7 win at Wilmslow. Rosslyn Park then got here to Coventry for the semi-final the place a 23-4 success noticed the hosts attain Twickenham for the second season operating.
“The ultimate was anticipated to be a decent sport. Scottish had a famend pack of forwards on the time, backed by good half-backs. and it was a lot nearer than the scoreline suggests. The primary half was fairly even earlier than the match was settled by two excellent Cov strikes after the break.”
What Occurred
Within the Saturday night ‘Pink’ costing 3 new pence, Coventry Night Telegraph and future Each day Telegraph rugby author Michael Austin led the entrance web page below the straightforward headline: ‘It’s Cov!’
“Coventry powered again to beat London Scottish 26-6 within the RFU Cup last at Twickenham this afternoon,” he wrote.
“In the long run Cov did it in type by scoring 4 tries to none. The wingers ran within the first three and scrum-half Invoice Gittings plunged over for a last attempt.
“For a very long time it was powerful going. The Scots led 6-3 at half-time and should have been assured. David Bell kicked two long-range penalties to Peter Rossborough’s one however then got here the thrilling begin to the attempt revel.
“Alan Cowman made a superb break and David Duckham did the remainder by scoring on the nook.
“Tim Barnwell’s excellent interception attempt gave Cov a commanding seven-point lead and Duckham was over once more for an opportunist try to Gittings, the oldest participant on the sector, fittingly plunged in for the ultimate landing.”
Austin’s longer match report within the Night Telegraph suggests he was pretty unimpressed by “a colorless RFU Cup last” by which “the shriek of (referee Mike Titcomb’s) whistle went on and so did the missed contact kicks, but no-one might counter-attack with poise and confidence.”
Lastly he managed a extra upbeat tone within the closing phases as Cov pulled away from the Exiles with three late tries.
“Barnwell’s 58th-minute attempt had the gang roaring,” he wrote. “He intercepted McHarg’s move and sprinted 70 metres to the posts with three males in hopeless pursuit. Rossborough transformed.
“Coventry’s pack raised their work-rate and Duckham despatched Walker by means of from a neat transfer following a scrum heel.
“Duckham chased it and astonished Stevenson by the velocity with which he reached the nook. He tackled the complete again, shook the ball from his hand caught it and dived over. Rossborough transformed with a superb kick.
“Rossborough booted over a troublesome penalty to make Cov cock-a-hoop with 5 minutes remaining. Gittings then added a well-liked attempt in damage time and the cup was Coventry’s.”
In Monday’s paper – maybe inspired by some post-match hospitality with the gamers – Austin lastly managed a tone bordering on celebratory.
“Cup kings Coventry enmeshed London Scottish in an online of poise, energy and opportunism at Twickenham on Saturday,” he wrote.
“David Duckham’s males contained the Scots and step by step compelled them right into a nook from the place there was no escape.”
Cov flanker Robin Cardwell, now aged 72 and residing in Kenilworth, agrees with Butler and Austin’s evaluation of the ultimate as being a decent sport by which the scoreline did not replicate the stability of play.
“London Scottish self-destructed within the last,” he mentioned.
“It was very tight even after David Duckham’s first attempt which was a traditional ‘beat his man on the surface’ rating.
“However then he chased a kick into the in-goal space, held up the complete again who had the ball, took it off him and scored!
“McHarg then determined he’d throw certainly one of his well-known lengthy, crazy passes however Tim Barnwell intercepted and ran half the size of the sector and that was that.
“They’d an excellent pack and we didn’t present our backs with the ball they’d have appreciated however we additionally didn’t enable them to settle and that was key.”
Stat Assault
This was Cov’s 53rd sport of a season which introduced 33 wins and 4 attracts in opposition to opponents starting from Man’s Hospital, New Brighton, Exmouth and Roundhay to centenary yr opponents the Barbarians, Leicester, Gloucester, Cardiff, Dublin Wanderers and Hawick.
No fewer than 55 gamers donned the well-known blue-and-white hoops in the course of the season, with centre Barrie Corless main the best way with 40 appearances. Prime scorer was present membership President Peter Rossborough who amassed 190 factors in his 22 video games.
Line-Ups:
Coventry: Rossborough; Duckham, Corless, Foulkes, Barnwell; Cowman, Gittings; Broderick, Gallagher, Fairbrother; Ninnes, Darnell; Walker, Cardwell, Robinson.
London Scottish: Stevenson; Keddie, Biggar, Friell, Fowlie; Bell, Crerar; Lovett, Pickering, Corstorphine; McHarg, Fraser; McKenzie, Thorburn, Biggar.
Referee: Mike Titcomb (Gloucestershire)
Scorers:
Coventry:
Tries: Duckham (2), Barnwell, Gittings
Conversions: Rossborough (2)
Penalties: Rossborough (2)
London Scottish:
Penalties: Bell (2)
Half-Time: Coventry 3-6 London Scottish
Attendance: 10,000
Coventry Night Telegraph Man-of-the-Match: Alan Cowman
Trying Again
The Cov Tel’s preview suggested that the absence of England’s Geoff Evans, who flew to South Africa with the British Lions 9 days later, allowed future membership captain Dave Foulks to make simply his seventeenth look – and cup debut – at Twickenham.
Austin’s readers additionally found that the tight head prop choice had been “open for dialogue” with future membership coach Jim Robinson nearly displacing Keith Fairbrother.
“The selectors have opted for expertise and Fairbrother, at present on vacation in Spain, is included,” he wrote.
The CET’s primary rugby man additionally instructed his readers: “Solely eight of final yr’s cup last facet are on obligation,” whereas his information replace from the Exiles’ camp knowledgeable them: “Mike Biggar captains the Scots from the robust again row which additionally consists of Ross McKenzie, a formidable New Zealander with a Scotland B cap.”
In his post-match Monday column Austin turned his gunsights on the RFU’s hardline interpretation of amateurism.
“Within the continued absence of medals for the profitable facet the gamers doubly deserve tangible recognition in print,” he wrote, earlier than happening to establish the contribution made by every participant.
Inside this Austin singles out the again row for: “Refusing to be submerged by their much-vaunted counterparts.
“Les Rolinson has scarcely performed higher…..Richard Walker provided a decided bodily effort and Robin Cardwell, injured final week, scavenged with talent after a precautionary pain-killing injection administered earlier than kick off.”
Cardwell mentioned he went into the match boosted by being invited to a pre-match dinner with legendary commentator Invoice McLaren and his skipper.
“I used to be the brand new boy and Invoice didn’t know an excessive amount of about me so he took David Duckham and I out for dinner the night time earlier than the ultimate,” he recalled.
“He went by means of my entire rugby pedigree – who I’d performed for and the whole lot about me – whereas we had a really nice meal.
“I’d by no means performed at Twickenham and bear in mind how antiquated it was with plenty of massive iron baths within the altering rooms.
“We had a great deal of self-belief within the facet and David at all times instructed us ‘if everybody does their job we are going to win.”
The Robin Cardwell Story
Cov’s former openside describes himself as “Belfast born and bred,” regardless of having no hint of an accent.
After finding out engineering at Queen’s College the place he received two rugby blues, Cardwell joined North of Eire RFC the place he performed alongside legendary centre Mike Gibson.
After the IRA blew up a Courtaulds manufacturing unit in Letterkenny in 1973 Cardwell was relocated by his employer to Coventry the place Gibson’s Lions reference to Duckham paved the best way for the 20-year-old back-rower to affix the blue-and-whites.
Nevertheless, as Cardwell recounts turning up along with your boots and becoming a member of in coaching wasn’t an possibility, no matter repute.
“Colin Grimshaw the Irish worldwide scrum half was already enjoying at Coundon Street and he mentioned I ought to be a part of but it surely wasn’t that easy.
“My introduction was subsequently fairly formal – a letter from Mike to David explaining who I used to be and saying he would assist me enjoying for Coventry. All through my time with the membership Mike saved involved to verify how I used to be doing.
“I had two video games for the Extras and two for the Nighthawks in midweek. Cov then performed Baa Baas within the centenary match and after John Barton obtained injured I obtained a telephone name.
“I used to be instructed I used to be within the first group at no.8 – however refused saying: “I’m not a no.8 and I’ll do the membership and myself no favours by enjoying there so if you happen to don’t thoughts I’ll decline the invitation.
“I knew that if I cocked it up then I wouldn’t get one other likelihood; fortunately 20 minutes later I obtained a name again saying ‘you’re on the flank’ as Wealthy Walker moved to no.8.”
“That was early within the season that ended with the cup last win and I stayed within the facet at openside flanker.”
Cardwell went on to play 98 video games for Cov earlier than leaving the membership in 1980 after the arrival of the likes of Paul Thomas and Mal Malik had made competitors for again row locations very testing.
“Approaching 30 I made a decision it was time for one thing completely different – Cov had a hyperlink with Kenilworth RFC so I captained them for just a few years,” he mentioned.
“I finally had a nasty leg break aged 33 and determined to shut the ebook on rugby after being in plaster for 5 months.”
Cardwell remains to be concerned with Kenilworth utilizing expertise gained throughout his lengthy profession with Land Rover as one of many venture managers for his or her new floor.
He follows Cov from afar and enjoys attending the Cow Shed lunches.
Coventry Rugby’s 150 Legacy Membership
The 150 Membership is an elite season package deal, rigorously curated to mark this historic occasion.
Membership provides precedence entry to the membership’s celebratory occasions, a number of unique, restricted version Coventry Rugby memorabilia and the possibility to develop into a part of membership historical past, along with your identify etched on our 150-year commemorative plaque.
The 150 Legacy Membership package deal consists of:
A Restricted Version a hundred and fiftieth 12 months Anniversary Coventry Rugby Membership Shirt
A a hundred and fiftieth 12 months Restricted Version Coventry Rugby Sekonda Watch
a hundred and fiftieth 12 months Commemorative Coventry Rugby Badge
Bottle of Anniversary Coventry Rugby Gin
2 x Tickets to Coventry Rugby’s Finish of 12 months Gala Dinner
Unique entry to participant Meet and Greet occasions
Your identify engraved on Coventry Rugby Membership’s 150 12 months Anniversary Plaque
Data is offered from ttrinder@coventryrugby.co.uk
With because of John Butler for statistical data and the Herbert Gallery’s Coventry Archive.
Subsequent Time: November 1996: Coventry 19-18 Newcastle – The day 8000 packed Coundon Street to see Rob Andrew’s superstars depart in a huff.