XV-a-Side rugby column: Warriors were wonderful with win in South Africa

Can you identify the legendary Australian international winger pictured here?

Here is this week’s XV-a-Side column, created in partnership with Rugby Memories Scotland.

WARRIORS WIN

A tremendous achievement by Glasgow Warriors saw them win the weekend’s United Rugby Championship final by coming from 13-0 down to beat Bulls 21-16 in front of a 50,388 crowd in South Africa and in the high altitude of Loftus Versfeld.

MATCH TO REMEMBER

Scotland 18 Wales 19: Saturday, February 6, 1971 at Murrayfield.

Home tries: Carmichael, Rea. Home conversions: None. Home penalties: PC Brown (4). Away tries: Taylor, Edwards, John, G. Davies. Away penalties: John. Away conversions: John, Taylor.

This was a classic match against probably the greatest ever Welsh team, but underdogs Scotland raised their game and were extremely unlucky to lose with literally the last kick of the game.

Scotland had been ahead four times, but the Welsh three-quarters were so talented that you sensed there might be a sting in the tail.

Sandy Carmichael and Chris Rea scored two good solo tries, but the failure to convert them proved costly.

Gerald Davies went over in the corner in the last minute of the game after a classical movement across the Welsh back division and all Scottish supporters prayed that John Taylor would miss from what seemed an impossible angle.

The conversion succeeded and a great match ended with a narrow win for Wales.

3G FAMILY QUIZ

Last week’s 3G answers: Youth Section: Gala, Wales, England.

Seniors Section: Sam Warburton, Leigh Halfpenny, Andy Irvine.

Veterans Section: Billy Steele, West of Scotland, England (7-7) and Ireland (11-11).

Mastermind Question: Andy Irvine: Finlay Calder: Gavin Hastings.

This week’s questions:

YOUTH: Who are the current manufacturers of the Scotland national team kit? How many teams are there in this season’s National League Division Two? Who do Falkirk play in the first round of this season’s National League Cup?

SENIOR: Who won the very first Six Nations tournament back in 2000? Apart from the Six Nations teams, which European sides competed at the last Rugby World Cup in 2023? Which Sottish player has won 110 caps?

VETERAN: What was Gavin Hastings club side? Who captained Scotland in their 1984 Grand Slam season? Who led the side to their 1990 Grand Slam?

MASTERMIND: In which country was the famous French full-back Serge Blanco actually born?

MYSTERY PLAYER: Who is the Australian winger pictured above?

TRUE OR FALSE? Ireland have won the Six Nations more than France.

Good luck getting the answers, which we will publish in next week’s column.