With New ANNIESLAND having J W Arthur's Cap on display at Twickers Old ANNIESLAND has its man on the RFU Wall of Fame at the HQ of English rugby


Robert Wilson Shaw
Nation: Scotland
Place of Birth: Thetford, April 11, 1913
Position: Fly half/Wing/Centre
Internationals: 19 caps between 1934 and 1939
Inducted: England v Scotland (February 3, 2007)

The following article has been adapted from the original by Dai Llewellyn, which focused on two players. It has been changed to highlight only the selected inductee’s information.

It was a Calcutta Cup match, but not just any match between the auld enemies. This England v Scotland confrontation at Twickenham in 1938 was something very special. Indeed it was so special that it was to go down in history as the Wilson Shaw match, in honour of the stunning performance by one man.

Shaw, who went on to become President of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1970-71, set the old ground alight with as scintillating a display as you could hope to see.

It was just before World War II that some 70,000 English and Scottish rugby supporters crammed the ground for one of the most thrilling games there has ever been, pre- or post-war.

The lead changed times frequently, the balance of the match tilting first this way, then that. Shaw had scored the first of his two tries in the opening 40 minutes, but it was his second, three minutes from time, that clinched the game and earned Scotland only their second victory at Twickenham.

In between and all around those two tries Shaw was an inspiration to his men as they and their English counterparts produced a dazzling exhibition of open running rugby that kept the crowd on its toes throughout.

It is for that reason that the Museum of Rugby at Twickenham has inducted Wilson Shaw, who died in the summer of 1979, to the Wall of Fame. He should be remembered for more than one match: rugby was his life and he was deservedly appointed CBE.

Article by Dai Llewellyn

This article was posted on 30-Jan-2013, 15:44 by Hugh Barrow.