October 15 down the years
Guscott bows out
Jerry Guscott played his final Test on this day in 1999
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1999
Jerry Guscott wore the red rose for the final time. England scored a ton against Tonga in a World Cup pool match at Twickenham, the 101-10 scoreline containing 13 tries. Guscott had been dropped by coach Clive Woodward before the game, but was granted a last-gasp reprieve as a rib injury ruled Phil de Glanville out of contention. Guscott stepped in and picked up a brace of tries, receiving an ovation from the Twickenham faithful. He missed the remaining games against Fiji and South Africa, ending his career with 65 England caps and eight for the British & Irish Lions.The Tongans had prop Ngalu Taufo'ou sent-off for an agricultural forearm smash to the side of Richard Hill's head and England capitalised. Phil Greening, Will Greenwood, Austin Healey and Dan Luger all joined Guscott in scoring twice, with the rout completed by Hill, Matt Dawson and Matt Perry.
2011 Referee Alain Rolland infuriated Welsh fans around the world by sending off Wales captain Sam Warburton in the 18th minute of the World Cup semi-final between Wales and France. Despite Warburton's controversial dismissal for a dangerous tackle, 14-man Wales almost overcome France in one of the performances of the tournament. But a series of missed kicks at goal cost the Welsh dearly as France progressed to the final 9-8.
2003
Samoa got their Rugby World Cup campaign underway with a 60-13 rout of Uruguay as their Pacific Island rivals Fiji scraped past the USA 19-18. There was worse in store for Tonga, who slumped to a 36-12 loss to John Kirwan's Italy, winger Denis Dallan grabbing the headlines with a brace of tries.
2007
England wing Josh Lewsey was ruled out of the Rugby World Cup final with a groin strain. Lewsey's early try against France in the semi-final had secured a second successive final for England, but he had played his final Test at the Stade de France in the last four.
2001
Welsh legend Barry John rounded on current national coach Graham Henry following a humiliating loss to Ireland in a re-arranged Six Nations fixture. "In my 29 years as a rugby correspondent, it was the most disorganised, worst and downright inept performance I have seen from a Welsh team," said John. "After this shambolic and embarrassing display, you have to question quite a lot about the Welsh coach. Henry must look at himself, and maybe the people who appointed him should be asking questions too. In fact, I suggest they should be going to Henry and asking him do you want some advice?'"
1938
Bath, inspired by their England centre Ronald Gerrard, win the 103rd local derby with Bristol by 11-5 at Bath in front of 5,000 spectators.
1953
Bob Stuart's All Blacks - the first New Zealand representatives to fly to Europe - left Auckland for their four-day journey to London Airport.
1968
The Wallabies landed in Dublin for their first short tour exclusively to Ireland/Scotland. Their predecessors of 1908-09 had played in England and Wales only. The logic behind the visit in 1968 was to make up for the omission of the Gaelic leg of the tour sixty years earlier.
1969
Cardiff, Wales and Lions wing Maurice Richards joined rugby league side Salford for £7000 and played the same evening in their 15-5 defeat of Leigh. Richards, who was a lay preacher, had a "no-Sunday play" clause in his agreement.
1977
Current labour MP Derek Wyatt scored four tries for the England XV that defeated the USA 37-11 in the Eagles' first-ever appearance at Twickenham.
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1. Max Verstappen ()
