Was there that day taking photos.Just to help the build up, lets step into the "wayback" machine (youngsters have no idea of what this was) and relive the greatest Scots Vs Joeys game in history. I give you.
.1981
Patrick Hunt came into the side as inside centre, Mark Murphy moving to outside centre. Glenn Nelson played in the seconds. The game was an important one. A win to Scots, it can now be seen, would have meant joint premierships for St. Joseph's, Scots, and Shore; the win for St. Joseph's enabled them to complete the season premiers and champions. The game proved to be one of the most exciting and most memorable seen for many years.
From the kick off, Farrell was injured by a hard knock and took some minutes to recover. Scots were winning the lineouts, having an advantage in height, but St. Joseph's were dominating scrums and mauls. Farrell was winning lineout ball at the back; when Scots No. 5 was sent to mark him, McEwen won three lineouts at No. 4. First score was a penalty to Scots. 0-3. Although Scots won the ball frequently from lineouts, they were unable to penetrate, and were content to kick. Fallon, McEwen and Ryan fielded the high ball with assurance. Scots were enjoying territorial advantage, and a field goal brought the score to 0-6. Penalties were going against St. Joseph's, and another penalty goal was kicked. 0-9.
St. Joseph's began the second half confident that they could win despite the halftime score of 0-9. St.Joseph's forwards were clearly superior and were playing the best rugby of the season. In the fourth minute the first of seven tight heads for the half were won by Irvine. From one of them Tonkin broke down the short side, and combined with O'Hearn and Shields in a movement that covered 80 metres and was never more than five metres from touch. The first try came when O'Hearn took a difficult pass above his head and scored twelve metres from touch. 4-9, with eighteen minutes to go. At this stage and for the remainder of the match the sustained cheering of a new cry, "Never give up!" urged the St. Joseph's team to greater efforts, although victory was beginning to appear impossible as the minutes passed.
Irvine won another tight head; O'Grady moved up field and passed to O'Hearn who ran sixty metres past two defenders. He sent the ball to Murphy who had the try line wide open before him, but the referee ruled a forward pass. Facer then figured in another move which looked like scoring. From a scrum Farrell crashed over the try line from the base of the scrum, but the referee ruled the ball not correctly grounded.
With twelve minutes to go the cry of "Never give up!" became more intense. Hunt crossed the try line under the posts only to be recalled. The minutes were ticking away. St. Joseph's were now getting a glut of possession as the ball moved across the field through the backs and up the field through the forwards. A line out formed fifteen metres from the Scots line. The ball was thrown to Farrell who set up a maul. Shields fed the ball to Tonkin on the short side who scored. A good kick for conversion by Ryan just failed. 8-9, with only five minutes to play. Scots kicked the ball deep into St. Joseph's territory. Good anticipation by McEwen won the ball from a maul. Fallon passed to Tonkin who in a brilliant run took play to Scots' quarter line. A minute left to play, and the cheer continued, "Never give up!" A scrum was won by St. Joseph's; Fallon passed to Tonkin. Wisely deciding that he must attempt a field goal rather than a try, he steadied himself, thirty metres out and twelve metres from touch, took aim and kicked. The field goal was never in doubt as the ball sailed between the posts with the full-time siren sounding.
The excitement of the crowd when they realized that St. Joseph's had won 11-9 in the last seconds of the match was something rarely if ever seen on the ground before.
That may be a Joeys mindset however I know Scots much preferred the two round system and there is much talk of bringing it back for next year. Unfortunately with High & Grammar out the season is way too short for my liking.
The old Joey's trick. Whilst most schools used synthetic balls by 91, there was a rule that the home side could use either. Joeys trained with leather balls whilst other schools didn't giving them another upper hand.
