Flashback How to thwart a Grand Slam
As England try to spoil Ireland’s party, three former internationals reveal what it takes to derail a Six Nations clean sweep
2000 Scotland 19 England 13 Duncan Hodge, Scotland fly-half
England were huge favourites after averaging 30 points a game, while we were winless, but we had played well against Wales the week before and were up for the game.
We knew the absence of Martin Johnson was massive. We also knew the weather would be filthy, so we picked a huge pack, including Richard Metcalfe (7ft, 20st) and debutant Jason White.
The turning points were our chat under the posts after Lawrence Dallaglio’s try – the English were chirping us when he scored, which really riled us – and turning them over on our line just before half-time.
We could have been 10-0 down at half-time, but instead trailed 10-9.
The weather changed after that, and so did the game. As the home side, we got the 50/50 decisions and hit rucks harder than England, who began to stress as we got stronger. I didn’t miss any goal kicks and then scored a forward’s try from a couple of feet. There’s no feeling like beating a side going for a Grand Slam – it was the best game of my career.
2001 Ireland 20 England 14 David Humphreys, Ireland fly-half
It was not so much about denying England a Grand Slam as simply beating them. Several of us had suffered against England through the Nineties and this was a chance to try to amend that record.
It was a strange sort of fixture, first and foremost because it had been held over into October because of the foot-and-mouth outbreak in England. Would the outcome have been the same if it had been played as scheduled? Who knows? England had certainly been on a roll, racking up a record 215 points and 28 tries in their four matches.
We got stuck into them from the first whistle and Keith Wood scored a storming try, galloping round the tail of a line-out. I actually missed some simple kicks at goal, but did get three penalties over.
Peter Stringer’s amazing tap tackle on Dan Luger saved the day in the second half and we hung on following Austin Healey’s late try for England.
At the final whistle, the English boys had to go up to be presented with the Six Nations trophy. They didn’t look too happy.
2013 Wales 30 England 3 Mike Phillips, Wales scrum-half
The Championship was on the line for us, so that’s what we were concentrating on – not ‘just’ denying England. We had to win by more than seven and we thought that was very doable.
It was a special day for me anyway, as I moved to 77 caps, a record for a Welsh scrumhalf, but nobody wanted them winning the Grand Slam on our turf.
It’s funny, but what I most recall about that build-up was that all week there was an investigation into a few of us breaking the midnight curfew and eating burgers from room service in my room.
Rob Howley [the acting head coach] saw the order and it all kicked off. I got fined £250 because I said I’d eaten them all! There was some tension because of it.
The coaches would do that sometimes, just to wind us up and get under our skin because they knew that’s when we played our best. We certainly did that day.
The atmosphere was incredible under the roof and the crowd started chanting “easy, easy” as we pulled further and further away. It was one of those nights you’ll never forget.