Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful
What’s happening here?
It’s June 26, 1993 at the Athletic Park in Wellington and the Lions have just beaten the All Blacks 20-7 to level the series at 1-1. England’s record try scorer Rory Underwood nipped in for a cracking try to seal the win and is giving full vent to his joy just after the final whistle.
What the story behind the picture?
Decades of really tough times for the Lions in New Zealand where up to this point they had lost eight of the nine series, John Dawes’ 1971 tour party being the only squad to clock up a series win. In the most recent tour – 1983 – the Lions has been sent packing 4-0 and were absolutely hammered 38-6 in the final Test at Eden Park.
Then in the opening Test of this 1993 series the Lions, leading 18-17, felt they were robbed of victory in the final minute at Lancaster Gate in Christchurch when Dean Richards was penalised by Australian referee Brian Kinsey after he had wrapped up Frank Bunce. Both fell to ground with Bunce making no attempt to release the ball but it was Richards who was pinged. Grant Fox stepped up to bang the penalty over and break Lions’ hearts.
The Lions were left reeling. They had been the better team but had lost. Next up they recovered to beat Taranaki but lost ingloriously to Auckland and Hawke’s Bay. The tour was really beginning to rock and that sorry defeat against Hawke’s Bay at Napier four days before the second Test cast a long shadow.
Will Carling was dropped for a young Scott Gibbs and Brian Moore and Jason Leonard were brought into the front row at the expense of Scots Kenny Milne and Paul Burnell. In fact England provided seven of the Lions’ eight forwards, the two half-backs, centre Jerry Guscott and Underwood.
What happened next?
The Lions delighted their fans with one of the great performances and a 20-7 win, indeed their biggest ever Test victory in New Zealand, and central to that win was an absolute peach of a try from Underwood, a replica of a cracker he had scored against New Zealand Maroi earlier on the tour.
New Zealand were pouring forward and making ground on the half-way line when Sean Fitzpatrick of all people rather clumsily spilled the ball. Dewi Morris seized on the ball and immediately realised there was room out to his left where Guscott and Underwood were up on their toes looking to counter attack. Morris moved the ball quickly and Guscott realised that a quick transference to Underwood wide out on the left was needed. With a delightfully pass – Guscott’s passing was half of his genius, he wasn’t just a devastating runner – he set Underwood sprinting down the left wing.
Underwood had 50 yards to go and the way forward was down a corridor barely 18 inches wide. If he stepped in at all the midfield defence would gobble him up but this was exactly the challenge Underwood loved. As befits an RAF pilot his spatial awareness was exceptional, and people forget the absolute gas he possessed when needed. Underwood wasn’t somebody to don spikes and test how quick he was but it’s difficult to recall anybody in any of his 91 Tests beating him for pure speed.
He hit the turbos and went screaming past John Kirwan – no slouch himself – but then John Timu hoved into view. Timu was a considerable speed merchant himself and a cracking wing but was playing slightly out of position at fullback. Unwisely he offered Underwood the outside and quickly regretted that decision as the Lions wing screeched past him.
The hard work was done, all it needed was the touchdown. Now Underwood was, outwardly, the least demonstrative of men, an ice cool Top Gun, but clearly he initially intended to execute an early version of the Chris Ashton splashdown. At the last minute however his innate professionalism took over and he pulled out of a full splash down, compromising with a much uglier but safer half-splash.
Why is the picture iconic?
Underwood may have reined it in a little for the touchdown but it was joy unconfined after the final whistle. Rarely did he let his emotions take over and his grin from ear to ear hints at the magnitude of the win. Life doesn’t get much sweeter than scoring a brilliant winning try against the All Blacks in their own backyard. This is the picture that captures that rare moment to perfection and the feeling watching this live was that the Lions were heading for a series win in seven days’ time.
The background also provides an ageless quality. Setting sun and the steep open air stand that used to define Athletic Park before it closed down in 1999. The Cake Tin now stages all the big rugby matches.
Footnote: Alas for the Lions they couldn’t back up this brilliant win. Despite leading 10-0 they blew a gasket and lost 31-10. It was a bitter end. A series they could easily have won had ended in another defeat.
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