Russell’s rare Bath moment was a reminder of beauty of drop goals
◆ From Waddell’s Grand Slam-winning effort to Wilkinson’s World Cup-clinching one, there have been many superb kicks
Last Saturday Finn Russell drops a goal with his wrong – that is, left – foot. It was the first in his career, his professional career anyway; he may, I suppose, have kicked one for Falkirk as a laddie. He did attempt one, with the right foot, against France a few weeks ago but it finished closer to the corner flag than the posts. I love drop goals, which require quick-thinking and skill. So I hope he’s got a taste for it now.
A couple of years ago some were calling for the abolition of the drop goal, or at least the reduction of its value from three points to two – it used, long ago, to be worth four. I can’t think why as it’s a lovely thing to see and only quickwitted players bring it off. As for its value, it demands more skill than most penalty goals.
The most famous drop goal in history is probably Jonny Wilkinson’s to win the 2003 World Cup, again kicked with the wrong foot, in Jonny’s case the right one. Ian Robertson, radio commentator for the BBC, had a moment of panic: a right-foot kick, but Jonny is left-footed. Perhaps it was Mike Catt? Fortunately his first judgement was correct. What a relief!
Nobody now alive saw what was – and perhaps still is – the most famous drop goal in Scotland’s rugby history, kicked by Herbert Waddell of Glasgow Accies in the first-ever international at Murrayfield against England to win the 1925 Grand Slam. Perhaps Finn will kick a centenary one at Twickenham next year ...
If, like everyone else today, I was born too late to see or at least remember Waddell’s goal, I retain a clear memory of one of the most remarkable kicked at Murrayfield. That was in 1951, on my first visit to the stadium. Scotland were leading 3-0 when the captain Peter Kininmonth fielded a Welsh kick on the touchline some 30 yards out and promptly dropped a goal. He was the No 8 forward which made it more surprising, though other forwards have of course dropped goals.
I have always cherished the story of a drop-goal kicked by the great French flanker and captain Jean Prat after a team-mate, wearied of his nagging, slung him the ball saying in effect “see what you can do with it”. Monsieur Prat obliged.
It's usually fly-halves who drop goals. John Rutherford kicked seven of them for Scotland, including two in a 25-25 draw against the All Blacks. Many will remember Duncan Weir kicking a late match-winning one against Italy in Rome.
Others wearing the No 10 jersey who have dropped goals for Scotland include Davie Chisholm, Colin Telfer, Craig Chalmers and Dan Parks. Chris Paterson dropped a goal from halfway against Australia in the 2003 World Cup. Gregor Townsend’s 79th-minute drop kick should have won the Calcutta Cup in 1994 to put us 14-12 up, but there was just time for the restart. Scotland failed to secure and clear it, and England were mistakenly awarded a penalty. It ended 14-15.
Goals have been dropped by scrum-halves, centres, full-backs of course. Ken Scotland’s first score for Scotland in his first international was a drop-goal against France. He fielded a clearance which had died on a muddy pitch and promptly dropped a goal to put us 3-0 up. He later kicked a penalty and we won 6-0.
Even a drop attempt going wrong can lead to a score, a horribly mishit one from Iain Laughland in Paris once resulting in a wing-threequarter score in the left corner.
Still, the most remarkable display of drop-kicking I recall came from the South African fly-half Jannie de Beer against England in the 1999 World Cup. We watched the match in the Black Bull in the Grassmarket before proceeding to Murrayfield for our game against New Zealand. Jannie dropped five goals that afternoon. It was dizzy watching. It seemed that every time he got the ball he just dropped a goal, one, as I remember, from the touchline.
Well, now that Finn has at last dropped a goal, maybe he’ll think of Jannie and drop a few more. I hope so, for I do love the drop goal.
It's usually fly-halves who drop goals. John Rutherford kicked seven for Scotland