England A will face Spain on the Estadio José Zorrilla in Valladolid on Saturday, reside on RugbyPass TV, to rekindle a rivalry with the Iberian Peninsula that dates again 70 years.
On 27 November 1955, the then England B facet misplaced their first-ever sport in Catalunya earlier than successful the return fixture two days later, but it surely was nearly three a long time earlier than they defeated the Spanish nationwide facet 16-9 in Seville.
Spain had been one of many rising groups on the European circuit within the early Nineteen Eighties, competing within the FIRA Championship, successful the B1 Group in 1983 earlier than inviting England’s second string to tour within the following Could.
England, rebranded as under-23s, had demonstrated their superiority towards regional sides in San Sebastian and Barcelona, and their forwards dominated the Spanish, who lacked sufficient ball to produce their backs.
Marcus Rose and Rob Andrew scored tries in Valencia, whereas stand-in full-back Bristol’s Simon Hogg, who performed the primary sport within the centres, transformed Rose’s attempt to kicked a penalty. Andrew additionally scored a penalty.
Spain gained revenge in March 1986, after they embarrassed England on the inaugural New South Wales Sevens (now the World Sevens Sequence), successful a bunch sport 24-6 with a superb show of working rugby.
However in the identical 12 months, Stuart Barnes kicked 5 penalties in England’s under-23s’ 15-10 victory at Twickenham, and their win at Imber Courtroom, East Molesey, in March 1988 was much more convincing, 31-6.
It was simply as fiercely contested as earlier encounters, and the victory owed a lot to Simon Hodgkinson, who scored 19 of their factors with three penalties, three conversions, and a strive after supporting an outstanding Kevin Simms break.
England had scored two first-half tries. The primary was a penalty strive, after which Andy McFarlane, as relentless rain and a slippery ball on the Metropolitan Police floor hindered England’s all-out attacking coverage.
The scoreline may have been even worse for Spain, who conceded a second-half attempt to Nigel Redman, had England opted for Hodgkinson’s boot as a substitute of fast faucet penalties to run the ball by way of their backs.
The Spaniards’ factors got here from a drop aim and a penalty from scrum-half Javier Díaz, however their self-discipline grew to become more and more ragged as the sport progressed, and England allow them to off the hook.
What grew to become of the England facet?
Simon Hodgkinson – Nottingham full-back, nailed a then-world file seven penalties towards Wales in 1991, has enterprise pursuits within the care house sector.
Jon Bentley – A policeman who was a Lions and Nice Britain league wing, has labored for Leeds Tykes on neighborhood programmes and as a enterprise growth supervisor. He’s an after-dinner speaker.
John Buckton – The Saracens centre performed 319 instances for the membership, successful an English Cup in 1998, and relies in Waltham Forest, working as a help guide for Anite Enterprise Programs.
Kevin Simms – The Wasps centre, who performed varsity rugby alongside Rob Andrew, is now a GP on Merseyside and has served because the medical officer for Liverpool St Helens.
Gary Hartley – Nottingham and Midlands centre and winger, a Chartered Surveyor working Hartleys Property Brokers for 20 years and now managing accomplice of Tremendous and Nation.
Andy Sutton – Cambridge College fly-half, a telecommunications community architect who based the cat furnishings designers Catipilla in 2016.
Simon Robson – Moseley scrum-half, who’s the daddy of former England ace Dan, was a trainer for 37 years, spending three a long time as the pinnacle of rugby at Newcastle-under-Lyme Faculty.
Mark Linnett – The Moseley prop, who scored a strive on his solely senior cap towards Fiji in November 1989, is a former police detective and a certified bodily coaching teacher.
John Olver – Harlequins hooker who was an unused England alternative 31 instances, taught at Northampton Faculty and Oundle Faculty, and is the uncle of the Curry twins, Tom and Ben.
Gary Pearce – An England worldwide prop who remodeled 400 appearances for Northampton and labored as a surveyor for Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd in Hemel Hempstead.
Nigel Redman – England lock who was {an electrical} engineer, has been the RFU’s crew efficiency director after an identical function with British Swimming.
Steve Bainbridge – England and Lions lock, certified as a trainer however labored within the motor trade and was a gross sales and growth officer for Benfield, then Lookers Motor Group.
John Wells – The Leicester Tigers flanker was head coach at Welford Highway and Newcastle and has coached England and Rugby Colorno in Italy.
Andy Robinson – Former England flanker who was a college trainer, has coached England, Scotland and Romania and is on Tub’s teaching workers.
Andy McFarlane – Sale and England B No.8, lives in South Manchester and has labored within the rail trade for Central Rail Programs Alliance.
Spain – F Puertas, L Martín, G Rivero, S Torres, E Uzquiano (C Díaz 30), J Moreno, J Díaz, J Álvarez, A Trenzano, T Pardo, F Méndez, P Amunaritz, J Egido, H Massoni, J Chacarro
Referee – Gareth Simmonds (Wales)
