1979 Cup Final: Tiger 15 - Moseley 12
By TigerRock
July 18 2002
Come back with me to the distant past, the olden days of the far off late 70's. (Make sure you note the shimmering special effects, they're quite expensive.)
By TigerRock
July 18 2002
Come back with me to the distant past, the olden days of the far off late 70's. (Make sure you note the shimmering special effects, they're quite expensive.)
Tigers 15 - Moseley 12
Look out for the dodgy perms, the flared trousers and the lack of logos on the shirts. Marvel at only getting four points for a try, and the fact that Dusty Hare and Les Cusworth both have (some) hair without the aid of lasers! See Peter Wheeler at Twickenham without the aid of corporate hospitality! Note Tigers with a line out that couldn't catch a cold!
In those olden days a team in scarlet, green and white began a love affair with the National Cup competition that forever set their names into history, and laid the foundations for the club we have today.
21st April 1979 Tigers had battled back from the disappointment of a 6 - 3 defeat in the final of the John Player Cup the previous year against Gloucester to return to HQ. Victories in the early rounds against Northampton (29-3) Broughton Park (30 - 7) and Bedford (12 - 22) had led to a semi-final against the fancied Wasps team. Tigers had played total rugby that day, and blitzed the Sudbury outfit 43 - 7, in what master coach "Chalkie" White referred to as one of the best Tigers performances ever.
Righting the wrongs
Now the team was stepping out at Twickenham to try to set right the previous season's result. Make no mistake, although this is back in the amateur days there was plenty of pressure on the players. First off, the cup was the only meaningful competition the clubs had to play for. One off day, for you or the referee, and that was your season! Also, whilst the England selectors of the day did their best to change the team every time they played so that no one got too comfortable, not everybody could win a cap, so this match was both a shop window, and the highest pinnacle some could aspire to.
The match started with the under-rated Tigers pack on top, the reputedly (and probably actually) weaker line out using innovative variations to win the ball. Leicester also had an early edge in the scrum, and from a free kick from an infringement by Moseley, Hare dropped a goal from thirty metres out to give the Tigers an early three point lead. (Yes - you could just drop a goal from a free kick.)
Moseley got a grip
This spurred on the Moseley team and their pack began to take a grip on the game. From a break by Gifford at a scrum in his own 22, the ball was fed out to winger Laird, who broke Kenney's (second) despairing tackle to score in the corner. The try was converted by Akenhead. Moseley 6 - Leicester 3.
By now the Moseley pack was becoming more and more dominant, and the Tigers were reduced to last ditch defence, and the fine back line had to live off scraps. Ian "Dosser" Smith at open side flanker covered himself in glory in these exchanges, putting his head where it hurt time and again to rescue lost causes. However, they couldn't hold out forever and Barrie Corless, Moseley centre scrambled over the line, but was penalised for a double movement. This was virtually his last touch of the ball as he limped off with a hamstring injury. Moseley were not to be denied, and fly half Cooper dropped a goal from first phase line out ball to take the lead 9 - 3.
The Tigers continued to hold out, and were glad to hear the half time whistle only 9 - 3 behind.
Second half worry
The second half began as the first ended, and the Tigers fans began to worry. The still dominant Moseley line out was denying Leicester possession, and the Tigers pack were looking tired and beginning to make mistakes. An Akenhead penalty put Moseley further ahead at 12 - 3.
Yet another line out to Moseley, but at last they made a mistake, and gave away a penalty. Les Cusworth took a quick one and the Moseley team were marched back another ten metres for not retiring. Again the Tigers ran the ball and a set scrum in front of the Moseley post was the result. Perhaps more significantly during the movement, the Moseley number eight, Derek Knutt, suffered a recurrence of a shoulder injury and was forced to leave the pitch.
Nothing came from the scrum, but the Tigers won the ball from the resulting line out, Moseley were forced to infringe and the trusty boot of Hare gave the Tigers hope at 12 - 6.
Were the Moseley team beginning to tire? The Tigers pack began to look the more effective, and the prompting of maestro Les Cusworth was moving the back line into gear. The ball was moving left and then right as Tigers recycled, finally winger Newton found a gap and accelerated through it. He then chipped past the full-back, and was obstructed as he chased his kick. Three more points to Hare. 12 - 9 with 10 minutes to go.
Still the Tigers looked the fitter side, the scrum had a push on, the backs were playing well, but the last pass wouldn't go to hand as the Leicester side camped in Moseley's half.
Tense dying minutes
Three minutes to go, and the Tigers won a line out and audaciously went for the rumble over, but were held up over the line. Scrum five to Tigers. Kenney fed the scrum, picked up at the base and threw the most ridiculous dummy, amazingly taken by the defenders and went over in the corner! Dusty Hare added the extras and Tigers went into the lead for the first time since the first ten minutes of the game.
At the resulting line out from the restart Moseley were penalised for lifting in the line out, on the Tigers 10 metre line. Peter Wheeler, the captain, looked at the clock and decided that a wait whilst Dusty took a kick was just what the Doctor ordered! Dusty missed the kick, but it was a measure of Moseley's desperation that they lost discipline and charged the kick to give Hare another chance ten metres closer.
Again the kicker lined up the kick, this time to see it strike the post and bounce agonisingly back into play. Moseley tried to run the ball out, but it was clear that the Tigers team were now well on top. Drop goal attempts by Hare and Cusworth were both missed, but eventually Alan Welsby, the referee ended the game with the Tigers victorious 15 - 12.
The Tigers fans cheered their heroes off the pitch, and the team collected the trophy to the acclaim of the already sizeable Leicester following. As master coach "Chalkie" White said "A day to remember."
Backs:
O - William Henry "Dusty" Hare
N - Mick Newton
M - Terry Burwell
L - Paul Dodge
K - Tim Barnwell
J - Les Cusworth
I - Steve Kenney
Forwards:
A - Robin Cowling
B - Peter Wheeler
C - Steve Redfern
D - Nick Joyce
E - Angus Hazelrigg
F - Steve Johnson
H - Ian "Dosser" Smith
G - Gary Adey
21st April 1979
Tigers 15 - Moseley 12
Kenney Try, Hare, Conversion, Drop Goal, 2 Penalties.
Look out for the dodgy perms, the flared trousers and the lack of logos on the shirts. Marvel at only getting four points for a try, and the fact that Dusty Hare and Les Cusworth both have (some) hair without the aid of lasers! See Peter Wheeler at Twickenham without the aid of corporate hospitality! Note Tigers with a line out that couldn't catch a cold!
In those olden days a team in scarlet, green and white began a love affair with the National Cup competition that forever set their names into history, and laid the foundations for the club we have today.
21st April 1979 Tigers had battled back from the disappointment of a 6 - 3 defeat in the final of the John Player Cup the previous year against Gloucester to return to HQ. Victories in the early rounds against Northampton (29-3) Broughton Park (30 - 7) and Bedford (12 - 22) had led to a semi-final against the fancied Wasps team. Tigers had played total rugby that day, and blitzed the Sudbury outfit 43 - 7, in what master coach "Chalkie" White referred to as one of the best Tigers performances ever.
Righting the wrongs
Now the team was stepping out at Twickenham to try to set right the previous season's result. Make no mistake, although this is back in the amateur days there was plenty of pressure on the players. First off, the cup was the only meaningful competition the clubs had to play for. One off day, for you or the referee, and that was your season! Also, whilst the England selectors of the day did their best to change the team every time they played so that no one got too comfortable, not everybody could win a cap, so this match was both a shop window, and the highest pinnacle some could aspire to.
The match started with the under-rated Tigers pack on top, the reputedly (and probably actually) weaker line out using innovative variations to win the ball. Leicester also had an early edge in the scrum, and from a free kick from an infringement by Moseley, Hare dropped a goal from thirty metres out to give the Tigers an early three point lead. (Yes - you could just drop a goal from a free kick.)
Moseley got a grip
This spurred on the Moseley team and their pack began to take a grip on the game. From a break by Gifford at a scrum in his own 22, the ball was fed out to winger Laird, who broke Kenney's (second) despairing tackle to score in the corner. The try was converted by Akenhead. Moseley 6 - Leicester 3.
By now the Moseley pack was becoming more and more dominant, and the Tigers were reduced to last ditch defence, and the fine back line had to live off scraps. Ian "Dosser" Smith at open side flanker covered himself in glory in these exchanges, putting his head where it hurt time and again to rescue lost causes. However, they couldn't hold out forever and Barrie Corless, Moseley centre scrambled over the line, but was penalised for a double movement. This was virtually his last touch of the ball as he limped off with a hamstring injury. Moseley were not to be denied, and fly half Cooper dropped a goal from first phase line out ball to take the lead 9 - 3.
The Tigers continued to hold out, and were glad to hear the half time whistle only 9 - 3 behind.
Second half worry
The second half began as the first ended, and the Tigers fans began to worry. The still dominant Moseley line out was denying Leicester possession, and the Tigers pack were looking tired and beginning to make mistakes. An Akenhead penalty put Moseley further ahead at 12 - 3.
Yet another line out to Moseley, but at last they made a mistake, and gave away a penalty. Les Cusworth took a quick one and the Moseley team were marched back another ten metres for not retiring. Again the Tigers ran the ball and a set scrum in front of the Moseley post was the result. Perhaps more significantly during the movement, the Moseley number eight, Derek Knutt, suffered a recurrence of a shoulder injury and was forced to leave the pitch.
Nothing came from the scrum, but the Tigers won the ball from the resulting line out, Moseley were forced to infringe and the trusty boot of Hare gave the Tigers hope at 12 - 6.
Were the Moseley team beginning to tire? The Tigers pack began to look the more effective, and the prompting of maestro Les Cusworth was moving the back line into gear. The ball was moving left and then right as Tigers recycled, finally winger Newton found a gap and accelerated through it. He then chipped past the full-back, and was obstructed as he chased his kick. Three more points to Hare. 12 - 9 with 10 minutes to go.
Still the Tigers looked the fitter side, the scrum had a push on, the backs were playing well, but the last pass wouldn't go to hand as the Leicester side camped in Moseley's half.
Tense dying minutes
Three minutes to go, and the Tigers won a line out and audaciously went for the rumble over, but were held up over the line. Scrum five to Tigers. Kenney fed the scrum, picked up at the base and threw the most ridiculous dummy, amazingly taken by the defenders and went over in the corner! Dusty Hare added the extras and Tigers went into the lead for the first time since the first ten minutes of the game.
At the resulting line out from the restart Moseley were penalised for lifting in the line out, on the Tigers 10 metre line. Peter Wheeler, the captain, looked at the clock and decided that a wait whilst Dusty took a kick was just what the Doctor ordered! Dusty missed the kick, but it was a measure of Moseley's desperation that they lost discipline and charged the kick to give Hare another chance ten metres closer.
Again the kicker lined up the kick, this time to see it strike the post and bounce agonisingly back into play. Moseley tried to run the ball out, but it was clear that the Tigers team were now well on top. Drop goal attempts by Hare and Cusworth were both missed, but eventually Alan Welsby, the referee ended the game with the Tigers victorious 15 - 12.
The Tigers fans cheered their heroes off the pitch, and the team collected the trophy to the acclaim of the already sizeable Leicester following. As master coach "Chalkie" White said "A day to remember."
Backs:
O - William Henry "Dusty" Hare
N - Mick Newton
M - Terry Burwell
L - Paul Dodge
K - Tim Barnwell
J - Les Cusworth
I - Steve Kenney
Forwards:
A - Robin Cowling
B - Peter Wheeler
C - Steve Redfern
D - Nick Joyce
E - Angus Hazelrigg
F - Steve Johnson
H - Ian "Dosser" Smith
G - Gary Adey
21st April 1979
Tigers 15 - Moseley 12
Kenney Try, Hare, Conversion, Drop Goal, 2 Penalties.
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