RUGBY: WASPS’ LEE RECALLS RECORD
WASPS BOSS GOES DOWN MEMORY LANE TO RECALL DAY HE BROKE LEAGUE RECORD
IT was a monkey he was keen to get off his back. Lee Blackett was 22 games and four years into his stopstart spell at Leeds Carnegie and he was yet to score his first try. With powerhouse Anitelea Tuilagi in the squad and the talents of Henry Paul and Scott Barrow incoming, time appeared to be against the then 25-year-old to make an impact and earn a new deal.
Just five days after a 10-10 draw with fellow relegation rivals Worcester Warriors in March 2008, Leeds returned to Headingley knowing only a victory against Newcastle Falcons would do to keep their slim hopes of Premiership survival alive.
“I’d taken a blow to my ribs against Worcester on the Sunday,” said Blackett, who was appointed as permanent Wasps head coach earlier this month. “It was a Sunday-friday turnaround. It was really short. I was moaning in the week about them feeling sore.”
Just 8.28 seconds into the must-win encounter, pain was replaced by elation. Leeds fly-half Alberto Di Bernardo’s kick-off was bizarrely allowed to bounce before landing into the grateful arms of the on-rushing Blackett to score what still stands at the Premiership’s fastest-ever try.
It shaved nearly a second off previous record holder Tom Voyce, who touched down 9.63 seconds into Wasps’ match with Harlequins almost four years previously.
Leeds clung on to win 16-15, their second and final victory of an ill-fated campaign as relegation was confirmed with five subsequent defeats.
Their try-scoring hero from the Headingley thriller didn’t feature in any of the final handful of games – and with good reason.
“The next two days after the Newcastle game I was struggling breathing,” explained the 37-yearold. “I then attempted to train on the Monday, but I had to go inside. I couldn’t breathe. “I went for the X-ray and came out to just see what it was, and they rushed me straight into the hospital.
“I had a collapsed lung on the left side. I’d basically broke my rib and it popped a blood vessel. It bled and caused my lung to collapse.”
I’d basically broke my rib and it popped a blood vessel. It bled and caused my lung to collapse. Lee Blackett
His six days spent at Leeds’ St James’s Hospital was only sweetened by the signing of a new deal from his bedside. Blackett wouldn’t play a minute of league rugby until seven months later, starting the 52-8 away thrashing of Esher in National Division One in a Leeds squad that contained future Wasps colleagues Jon Pendlebury and Kearnan Myall.
It was one of 28 victories registered from 30 rounds as the title, and promotion, was secured at Exeter Chiefs’ expense. Reflecting on the try, which was scored against a Falcons backline that included England internationals Jonny Wilkinson, Toby Flood, Jamie Noon and Mathew Tait, Blackett added some further context to the tale.
“It was pretty embarrassing, really, it was my first try in the Prem,” he said. “I’d played 22 matches, one on the wing, all of the others were at 12.
“We didn’t score many tries back then so I wasn’t on my own.
“It was just the bounce of the ball that night!”
More than 1,500 Premiership games have passed since Blackett’s special night but his record remains intact.
“It’s a nice record to have,” he said. “Someone at some point will beat it, because definitely someone can run 50 metres quicker than I can.
“Although, I think we should be halving that try because I was only playing with one-and-a-half lungs at the time I scored!”