Previous Eras - When did you fall in love with rugby?

[Which Tyler]

I'm having this conversation elsewhere, it was French rugby of the late 80s that first secured my love of rugby. It was never disciplined, and not always successful, but it was always spectacular!

[Which Tyler]

Of course, Bath were my nearest team, and follow-able "live" on Ceefax, with highlights on the local news - which I'm sure helped (as did my Leicester supporting god-father who fully encouraged my support of Bath, taking me to my first live matches)

[Banquo]

David Duckham and 71 Lions tied

[p/d]

David Duckham and 71 Lions tied

Alright grandad!! Try and keep the thread relevant

[Banquo]

David Duckham and 71 Lions tied

Alright grandad!! Try and keep the thread relevant

ok...1971

Though going with my dad to rugby at Hereford in 67 was great.

[Oakboy]

I think I began to love the game in 1967 at uni. I was in the football 1st XI and my flat-mate in the rugby 1st XV. He was a versatile No 8. One Wednesday afternoon we had no football so I watched the rugby. My mate, in unfortunate isolation, caught the ball on the 25 just before the entire opposition pack arrived. The aftermath was a try and a dazed, trampled No 8. It was like a scene from a St Trinians hockey match. I was the butt of drinking games thereafter for being unable to stand for laughing so much.

Incidentally, we are still the best of friends 50+ years on.

[p/d]

David Duckham and 71 Lions tied

Alright grandad!! Try and keep the thread relevant

ok...1971

Though going with my dad to rugby at Hereford in 67 was great.

I was dragged to see my grandfather’s old team Clifton in 75/76 and think that was my first realisation of something different to the rollercoaster of emotions following QPR

[Banquo]

Alright grandad!! Try and keep the thread relevant

ok...1971

Though going with my dad to rugby at Hereford in 67 was great.

I was dragged to see my grandfather’s old team Clifton in 75/76 and think that was my first realisation of something different to the rollercoaster of emotions following QPR

I played in the Clifton Sevens a few times when I was at school. Great times- our rugby masters used to let us drink from u16 upwards....not sure that'd be allowed now

[Stom]

My first game at Twickenham was this:

But while it was magnificent, I wouldn't say I was instantly hooked on watching.

I was 17 in 2003, so that had a big impact. I was a cashier at Waitrose during the final, and rushed up on my break to see the drop go over in the break room.

After I came back from uni, that's when I got my first Quins season ticket.

[twitchy]

I went to twickenham in the early 90's for a test vs aus. I don't remember anything about the actual game but everyone was chanting "campase is a penis". That is the only lasting memory I have of it (lol).

[Oakboy]

ok...1971

Though going with my dad to rugby at Hereford in 67 was great.

I was dragged to see my grandfather’s old team Clifton in 75/76 and think that was my first realisation of something different to the rollercoaster of emotions following QPR

I played in the Clifton Sevens a few times when I was at school. Great times- our rugby masters used to let us drink from u16 upwards....not sure that'd be allowed now

Some of the youngsters now don't like showering and would not entertain entering communal ones. Several that I have met have no interest in alcohol at all. Are they weird or were we?

[fivepointer]

70's 6 nations with Phil Bennett, Andy Irvine, Gareth Edwards, JPR, Jim Renwick, JP Rives, David Duckham and Andy Ripley.

[Puja]

My first experience of rugby was the 1995 5N - coming in to see what my father was getting so exercised about and being entranced by the emotions of Craig Chalmers scoring a drop goal to bring Scotland closer and then Rob Andrew scoring one right back to push us back out of reach. I was then thoroughly captured by watching the RWC later that year - my Andrew adoration increased by the drop goal in the Australia quarter final - and then was crushed by England losing in the semi. I wasn't even aware that was something that my team could do, having never seen it happen before!

I then sought out more rugby on television, but the only thing available was the Rugby Special highlights programme on Sunday afternoons and they only really focussed on the two teams at the top. My older sister supported Bath because she fancied Mike Catt (apparently the Saffer accent?) and I, being contrary, decided I was going to support the other team, some group called "Lester".

And that's pretty much been me hooked for the next 29 years.

Puja

[twitchy]

I just looked it up and it must have actually been 1988 (I would have been tiny which is why I don't remember).

Classic clashes: No1 England 28 - 19 Australia (1988)
England 28 - 19 Australia


England were still suffering a hangover from another unsuccessful summer tour of Australia of 1988 when their manager Geoff Cooke surprised the rugby world with the appointment of a new captain to replace the lock John Orwin. Will Carling had made his debut earlier in the year in Paris, where England would have won if Carling's centre Kevin Simms had not looked to pass when his momentum would have carried him over the line.

Carling had not made the Australia trip, having stayed at home to finish his university psychology exams. The summer off did him the world of good and Carling found some outstanding form during the autumn. Cooke made the 22-year-old the youngest England captain for 57 years for the home Test against the Wallabies on November 5.

It was a landmark game with fireworks all over the pitch. England won 28-19 with a vibrant display of attacking rugby of which their long-suffering supporters had been starved since the days of Bill Beaumont. Rory Underwood scored two tries, another came through the new scrum-half Dewi Morris and the new captain set up a fourth for his centre partner Simon Halliday.

In doing so the new skipper was knocked cold and did not finish the game. England's supporters were also in something of a daze because after a long try drought at Twickenham they had scored six against Ireland in their previous home game and four here.

Cooke also introduced another Harlequin in Paul Ackford The police inspector had an impressive debut alongside Wade Dooley and the pair were to become arguably the best second-row pairing in England's history, representing the Lions on their victorious tour to Australia the following year.

[Mr Mwenda]

I remember my parents watching the five nations, my dad yelling "goo on" - one of the few times the black country accent comes back. I was disinterested. The first game I remember catching my interest was the 95 quarter final v aus and Andrew's great drop goal and celebration. I fortunately have no memory of the semi.

1995 coincided with starting secondary school where I had the immense good fortune to go one of the few local state schools who had rugby as the primary winter outdoor sport (two half terms versus one each of football and hockey). I have always been good at tag games and the discovery that there was a sport where my sidestep could be used was eye opening. I steadily got into it, joining the local club and moving to 9 from the wing in my second season.

With that burgeoning playing interest I started watching more and more and I had my expectations forever unreasonably raised by the Woodward and Wilkinson years - those disappointments followed by that sweet, perfect 2003. That period also took in some of the best world cup games and the peak years of the Heineken cup - multiple games on terrestrial that everyone watched. Post 2007 has seen a slow warning of interest in all levels of rugby although I still refuse to call myself retired until I have run out for Lewes one more time to complete the circle.

My first ever England match live I think was in 1996 on a school trip, which was a literal blur as I forgot my glasses. After that, I next went to HQ for the game v Aus in 2000 with Luger's brilliant try at the death. Also saw the 154-0 humping v Romania on free tickets that was so sad we left on 60 minutes. For a while we would go to England v Italy home or away with my various Italian relatives until the growing popularity among Italian fans pushed ud out. I will have to take young master Mwenda some time but when the whole day out costs more than a holiday in Spain it is hard to justify.

[Mellsblue]

Loved it within 10 mins of starting playing at 8 years old - after a summer moaning at my father that I had to stop playing football as we started rugby in the autumn term and could I therefore move school. I did start playing club football on Sunday until going to boarding at 13.
I didn’t really watch rugby until I left school - I’d rather be playing - but my first memory of watching is Living with Lions and loving the camaraderie, and Goldington Road once in the 96/97 season when, I think, a hockey match was cancelled at the last minute and loving the atmosphere and bon homie with none of the friction, aggro etc that went with watching a football match live.

[Puja]

I remember my parents watching the five nations, my dad yelling "goo on" - one of the few times the black country accent comes back. I was disinterested. The first game I remember catching my interest was the 95 quarter final v aus and Andrew's great drop goal and celebration. I fortunately have no memory of the semi.

1995 coincided with starting secondary school

Huh, we're the same age and the same starting points to rugby. Wild.

My main memory of the semi was being in floods of tears and asking why we couldn't just tackle him, so you're probably better off.

Puja

[Mr Mwenda]

I remember my parents watching the five nations, my dad yelling "goo on" - one of the few times the black country accent comes back. I was disinterested. The first game I remember catching my interest was the 95 quarter final v aus and Andrew's great drop goal and celebration. I fortunately have no memory of the semi.

1995 coincided with starting secondary school

Huh, we're the same age and the same starting points to rugby. Wild.

My main memory of the semi was being in floods of tears and asking why we couldn't just tackle him, so you're probably better off.

Puja

And similar panache both on and off the pitch!

[BaldiePete]

My parents had no interest in sport but I could watch Grandstand on a Saturday afternoon. The earliest one I can remember was the Scotland v Wales match in the 1971 5N when I would have been 9. However the only thing I can remember actually seeing was John Taylor’s late conversion to win the match. Subsequently we beat England at Twickenham 16-15 then a week later we absolutely thrashed them 26-6 in the Centenary International at Murrayfield. I think that was the last season when a try was worth just 3 points. Scotland scored 5 tries, four converted and a penalty to a drop goal and a penalty, so with today’s scoring that would have been 36-6 That was me hooked on the game, although I soon found out that being a Scottish rugby supporter could be a lot more of a painful experience than those games against a poor England team.

[Mellsblue]

I remember my parents watching the five nations, my dad yelling "goo on" - one of the few times the black country accent comes back. I was disinterested. The first game I remember catching my interest was the 95 quarter final v aus and Andrew's great drop goal and celebration. I fortunately have no memory of the semi.

1995 coincided with starting secondary school

Huh, we're the same age and the same starting points to rugby. Wild.

My main memory of the semi was being in floods of tears and asking why we couldn't just tackle him, so you're probably better off.

Puja

And similar panache both on and off the pitch!

Knew you two were shandy drinkers.

[Mr Mwenda]

Excellent

[francoisfou]

Listen up you young'uns.
England v Scotland in 1963 when Richard Sharp scored quite a good try is there in my memory of watching Saturday afternoon Grandstand with dear ol' mum, who hated the Welsh and the Scots, and was persistently screaming at the telly for the English to kill the opposition!!
Take a look at this clip, toe-poke goalkicking, and back in the days when Bedford had a player in the England team (although Mells'll be far too young to remember Budge Rogers!!)

https://www.google.com/search?q=richard ... VszYc,st:0

[p/d]

Listen up you young'uns.
England v Scotland in 1963 when Richard Sharp scored quite a good try is there in my memory of watching Saturday afternoon Grandstand with dear ol' mum, who hated the Welsh and the Scots, and was persistently screaming at the telly for the English to kill the opposition!!
Take a look at this clip, toe-poke goalkicking, and back in the days when Bedford had a player in the England team (although Mells'll be far too young to remember Budge Rogers!!)

https://www.google.com/search?q=richard ... VszYc,st:0

He owned a Jowett Jupiter...... Old Budgster not Mells

[francoisfou]

Listen up you young'uns.
England v Scotland in 1963 when Richard Sharp scored quite a good try is there in my memory of watching Saturday afternoon Grandstand with dear ol' mum, who hated the Welsh and the Scots, and was persistently screaming at the telly for the English to kill the opposition!!
Take a look at this clip, toe-poke goalkicking, and back in the days when Bedford had a player in the England team (although Mells'll be far too young to remember Budge Rogers!!)

https://www.google.com/search?q=richard ... VszYc,st:0

He owned a Jowett Jupiter...... Old Budgster not Mells

Splendid motor! Mells'll surely tell us what he drives!

[francoisfou]

I'm having this conversation elsewhere, it was French rugby of the late 80s that first secured my love of rugby. It was never disciplined, and not always successful, but it was always spectacular!

Serge ain't the same man today: