In 1972, Ireland were on the brink of rugby history, two wins from two in the Five Nations and a first Grand Slam in 24 years within touching distance, until politics intervened and stopped it cold. After a rare away win in France, events off the pitch changed everything: Bloody Sunday in Derry and the violent fallout across Ireland led Scotland and Wales to refuse to travel to Dublin, cancelling their matches and denying Ireland the chance to complete the Slam, despite strong evidence there was no real threat to player safety. This video tells the full story of Ireland’s Grand Slam that never was, how fear, misjudgement, and political tension overruled sport, why Scotland and Wales stayed away, how New Zealand toured anyway, and how one of the greatest opportunities in Irish rugby history was taken from them, redemption finally came decades later.
SUBSCRIBE: @ConnorDoesRugby