September 21 down the years
Andrew joins Newcastle revolution
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Wasps fly-half Rob Andrew slots a kick, Wasps v Leicester, Pilkington Cup Semi-Final, April 1, 1995
Fly-half Rob Andrew swapped Wasps for Newcastle on this day in 1995 © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Rob Andrew | Ray Longland | Rory Underwood
Teams: England | Japan | Munster | Wales

1995
Rob Andrew became the first professional Director of Rugby, leaving Wasps to take over at Sir John Hall's Newcastle.

The Cambridge Blue served as a player-coach until 1999 and helped steer the side to the Premiership title the same year. Injury eventually forced his retirement but he continued to coach the Falcons until 2006 when he quit the club to join the Rugby Football Union as their Director of Elite Rugby.

Capped 76 times by England, the fly-half notched 407 points during a 12-year international career and memorably dropped a last-minute drop goal to seal a 25-22 victory over Australia in the 1995 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals. He also toured with the British & Irish Lions to Australia in 1989 and again to New Zealand in 1993.

1983
Leicester's Rory Underwood made his senior debut for the club featuring in the 40-3 defeat of Birmingham. Within six months of making his bow for the club he was an England regular.

The prolific winger went on to score a record 49 tries in 85 appearances for his country during a 12-year international career spanning 1984-96. He also claimed six Test caps for the British & Irish Lions on two tours and appeared in three Rugby World Cups.

1975
Stalwart England prop Ray Longland died aged 66. He won 19 caps between 1932 and 1938 and played in the England side that beat New Zealand 13-0 in 1936. When he finally retired in 1948 he was the Northampton club's most-capped player.

1975
Wales, on their first tour of Japan, beat the national side 56-12 in Osaka in the first match of a two-test series.

1978
Munster limbered up for their historic encounter with the All Blacks a month later with a disappointing 33-7 defeat in a friendly against Middlesex at Sudbury.

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