1974 2nd Test South Africa v British and Irish Lions 0001

[ohtheidol]

The '74 pack and the '71 backs together would be unbeatable. Rugby today seems to me like a lot of big blokes bumping into each other; no style, no finesse. THREE weeks this world cup's been going and i've yet to see a decent match.

[cycheckmate]

the trouble with highlights from games of this period is that you see a great try and think the whole game was played like that. You don't realise that the rest of the match was a largely boring spectacle of constant kicking into touch and interminable line outs, scrums, and rucks. I have the full video of the 1973 Barbarians vs NZ game, and apart from THAT try, nothing else happens apart from the aforementioned kicks into touch, lineouts, and scrums....

[hunk4hire]

Lineouts were a contest back then. Forwards played it tight and didn't cruise around out on the wing. Scrummaging mattered.

Today's rugby is just rugby league with a ball release instead of a play the ball.

[ymalex]

Beach Rugby! I have never seen a match played on before, or since.

[jcrawley1]

Was only an amateur game then remember.

[wrexhamjack123]

looked like it came off his leg to me....so a perfectly legitimate try

[spiderinyourshoeha]

lol " to gordon brown"

[Bucketheadhead]

Scottish second row I think, in the Hall of Fame, great player.  Would be much better at running the country too.

[mckay1402]

the game was more loose but the players had more individual skill. It's just a lot more organised now

[badgering123]

A couple of aimless kicks, but so what, the modern game is full of them. Some great support play, keeping the ball alive, wonderful passage of passing. True, a scrappy end to the move but I've seen pretty much the same in modern test matches. Pretty good rugby in my book.

[tamaolemaa]

Nothing but  bumbling, fumbling, flukey passes and mis-kicks ...and then out of the god-awful mess, a try is scored.

Crap rugby.

[lickstickly]

tamaolemaa thats weird coz what i saw was a gutsy break from inside the 25 with outrageous side-stepping,bursts of accelleration,superb support play and of course a little bit of luck at the end as there was a hint of a knock on, all this performed by men who have more talent in their little finger than you will have in your whole life, you wouldnt know good rugby if it hit you in the face

[tamaolemaa]

It is weird isn't it? Good rugby  doesn't sugarcoat forward passes and knock-ons by describing it as "a bit of luck". Furthermore, I would say the "greatest try ever scored" (Barbarians v NZ 1971) was similarly full of crap tackles and forward passes.

[lickstickly]

tamaolemaa, ive met a few bitter rugby supporters in my time but you really take the cake are you from the SH by chance?

[futureboy3009]

0:48. Hectic. I never knew Gordon Brown played for the lions. lol

[Bucketheadhead]

lol

[benrfc]

Fucking rubbish now compared to then! Silly twat

[galya]

that lions team was the greatest 15 players ever assembled.

[rathdeort2008]

Everything has moved on from those days, fitness, professionalism, pitch technology (That looks like a car park not a rugby field) and tactics. The game could be brutal too in 74 but those guys were simply superb. I salute them all but I feel the Welsh contingent were due extra praise as they were the golden generation of Welsh rugby. Fantastic guys!

[neielp]

Why did the outside centre throw the ball in at the lineout?

[Pagra50]

Because the hooker was in the centre...LOL

[Joce378]

In SA the wingers used to play with 13 and 14 (and the centers with thz 11 et 12)

[millerbiz]

i bet these guys would have fewer excuses than the present bunch of whingers!

[macafricascot]

yeah they were winners and they didn;t bitch and moan. My respect.

[chigurh18]

the welsh awesome themdays

[amarone1956]

Rugby was at its best in those days.

[xenaphon1]

I can't believe you think this is rubbish...