Scott Gibbs and That Try (Wembley's Greatest Moment)

Member Name: Bridgend boy

Product:	Wembley's Greatest Moment
Date:	01/11/01 (288 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: England lost

Disadvantages: N/A

As a now rather dodgey Welsh comedian used to say. I was there!

For some reason the anticipation for the last match of the 1999 five nations competition, between Wales and England, was unusually high. Wales were no longer in the tournement and had nothing to play for but pride, and of course, to beat the English.

Oh to be an English rugby fan, is there a more lonely occupation in sport. I doubt it.

Anyway, what makes the anticipation and build to the match even more amazing was the fact that is was being played on a Sunday. There would be no wild parties afterwards or drunken staggering around the streets of London, even if Wales were to win. Or so we thought.

England were their usual swaggering self. "Just turn up lads, we'll see these upstarts from the valleys off". Braken sat smugly in the TV studio laughing at Jonathen Davies every time he hinted at an upset.

The game was tough. England were on top right through the first half and the Welsh fans were subdued. The only thing to cheer, a barnstrming run up the touchline by man mountain Craig Quinnell.

Halftime drinks were downed and toilet runs were made. Hopes wern't high. The pre-match tension seemed to have trickled away. But then, Neil Jenkins threw a miss pass, dead flat along the entire Welsh back line, that found Shane Howarth on the wing and completely cancelled out the entire English back line. Oh joy, this is it. Lets go Wales.

The game started to pick up, Jenkins kept us in touch with his deadly kicking and then, jsut as Welsh men thought it was to late, and England would claim the Grand Slam, Wembley threw up it's finest ever moment.

From a line out close to the English line, Wales won the ball, Scott Quinnell juggeled with it (just enough to throw the English tacklers into disaray) and off loaded to the charging Gibbs. One side step, two, a hand off and all the stadium held its collective breath. Time slowed
down, four English players lay sprawled out on the floor and Scott Gibbs punched the air as he dived over the line for the match winning try. The crowd went wild. I personally almost tumbled from the upper level while jumping in the air and hugging anyone within four feet.

Wales had won. They saw down the clock and survived a slight scare when Mike Catt fluffed a drop at goal, but they won. England were started on the roll of three lost grand slams in the last game of the championship.

Welsh fans all through the stadium stayed behind and sang their appreciation of a truely great sporting moment. It will live in the heart of all those that were there, and like I said, I was one.

Summary: