Ireland vs Australia, 1991.

Losty Dublin

In the midst of Axel's death, we missed the 25th anniversary of one of the most infamous games of football ever when a little known flanker scored his one and only try for Ireland. Sunday, the 20th of October was the day when, for a few fleeting moments, we very nearly won the World Cup against Australia.

After a modest pool stage a then strong Scotland topped the group, taking a quarter final game versus an also then strong Western Samoa. For our sins a home quarter final beckoned against the Wallabies and a chance to see some of the legends of the game in action. For their sins Oz had a 9-3 let off against the Samoans before duly putting six tries past Wales to knock them out of the competition, thus earning a soft quarter final game against an Ireland team who had lost a test series in Namibia that year.

On paper Ireland were looking as dreary as the autumnal day that was hosting the game in Dublin. However, a ray of light appeared when Nick Farr Jones' jelly knee melted and Irish hearts lifted a little bit. In spite of Oz being the dominant team Ciaran Fitzgeralds team were off the pace on paper yet they just would not let this one go. Content to settle for a safe win, a silly knock on with just 4 minutes to go in the game gave Ireland a scrum inside their own half and a half chance to try and get into the Aussie's half. Suddenly, the Gods smiled over Lansdowne Road for just a fleeting moment and a normally clumsy shipping agent found himself a new pair of legs as he outran the greatest backs in the world....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVLJmoBbRRg

The crowd went electric over what they had just seen. Grown rugby men spat out their cigars and kissed each other as they invaded the pitch, safe in the knowledge that a semifinal against the dreaded All Blacks this day week in Dublin, and that they may as well fly home seeing as we beat the one team capable of beating them.

However, history now tells us that the Aussies promptly kicked off and scored a try of their own within moments of Hamilton's heroics, thus winning the game and stealing the dream away. Indeed a week later, they soundly beat New Zealand 16-6 In truth, we outplayed ourselves against a team who were having something a bad day at the office en route to winning the Web Ellis cup. However, the memories still linger and either haunt or heat the cockles of our heart.

So, what are your memories of the day? Were you there and if not, where did you take it all in? And lastly, will we ever break what some now call Hamilton's Curse?


PS If you want to take in the whole game I give you this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgxIenI4uco

CatFromHue

Franno backing up his Captain in fighting Willie O in the first 5 seconds!!!

mfceiling

I was 17. I got in behind the sofa after the game and cried (quiet sobbing incase anyone heard me)!!

thebaz

brilliant game , my memory is the missed tackle or tackles by winger , was it Clarke - another near victory , and 25 years later still never made it beyond quarters.

Dave_The_Sheep

I was only 8, but along with that shootout against Romania, it's one of my earliest sporting memories. The house went crazy when Hamilton went over, and then really quiet when Lynagh went over a few minutes later.

Wheeker

Here's my somewhat unusual recollection :

I was over in Morecambe, England for a cousin's wedding on the Sat, during which the whole family had fantastic craic (& far too much to drink). The next day, seriously hungover, the Aunties decided it would be "lovely" for us all to take a wee trip to Beatrix Potter's home in the Lake District. Of course all the lads were extremely concerned that we would miss the RWC Semi-Final, but my Dad told me he had a plan!

I was driving there with my girlfriend & got a bit delayed. The match had already started & I was listening to it on the radio. I hate listening to matches on the radio & it was seriously stressing me out. To make matters worse in the Lake District every time I drove down a hill the reception would cut-out & only return when I got back to the top of another hill. This went on like this for an eternity, with me shouting & cursing at the radio (freaking the girlfriend out!).

As we finally approached the lovely, genteel Beatrix Potter home my nerves were shred & I couldn't believe we were still within shouting distance of Australia. As I drove into the car park I saw my entire extended family (& quite a few others) all gathered around my Dad's car which had a tiny (c. 6" screen?) portable, battery-operated telly balanced on top of it. I quickly parked the car & ran over- just in time to see Gordon Hamilton's try! The whole car park erupted in mayhem!:D

It was hilarious to see all the blue-rinse grannies scowling over at us wondering what the hell was going on with all these drunk/hungover Irish, here of all places! Of course then the somewhat inevitable Lynagh try followed a couple of minutes later, silencing the whole place & plunging us into dispair. I was seriously messed-up by it all & went into a serious strop for a few days after. It's incredible to think it's still our best ever chance of a RWC Semi-Final. So close.... yet so far....