Six Nations Countdown: Throwback to 'Ruckgate'

The year was 2017 and an Italian team marched into Twickenham with a noteworthy trick up their sleeves.

Some shrewd examination of the laws by the Italian coaching staff rendered a curious loophole ripe for exploitation.

Simply put; if Italy committed no players to the breakdown, a ruck would not exist, meaning that the traditional offside line would disappear. This then allowed the Italian players to stand anywhere they wished on the pitch, which they did, cutting off the English scrumhalf’s passing line to would-be receivers outside him.

As the match unfolded the English players and the Twickenham crowd were visibly bewildered as the game-plan mapped out by Eddie Jones and co. was suddenly scuppered.

The puzzled pair of England captain Dylan Hartley and James Haskell approached referee Romain Poite in an attempt to recover their bearings and the latter uttered a line which has stood in infamy ever since: “I’m the referee, not the coach!”

Despite the setback, the English showed good nous to claw their way back to making the game their own.