April 14 through the years
Five Nations share the spoils
England wing Peter Jackson announced his retirement from the game on this day in 1964
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1973
Jean-Pierre Romeu fails to convert a late French try that leaves Ireland 6-4 winners in Dublin. With each of the Five Nations having won their two home matches and lost their away clashes, the International Championship ends in a unique quintuple tie.
France's 12-3 victory over Wales at the Parc des Princes three weeks earlier meant victory against the Irish in the last game of the Championship at Lansdowne Road would have brought Les Blues the title but they were to be denied. If the Championship had been decided on points difference then Wales would have claimed the title ahead of France, Ireland, Scotland and then England.
1991
The first women's Rugby World Cup Final was played in Cardiff, with the United States beating England 19-6. Twelve countries were divided into four groups of three for the unofficial tournament - the International Rugby Board did not endorse the women's Rugby World Cup until the 1998 event.
The United States beat the Netherlands (7-0) and the USSR (46-0) in the pool stages while England accounted for Spain (12-0) and Italy (25-9). In the semi-finals the USA beat New Zealand 7-0 - the Black Ferns would not lose another game for ten years - and England beat France 13-0.
1962
France claim the Five Nations crown for the fourth year running. Claude Lacaze becomes the first French fullback to score a Championship try, contributing to France's 11-0 win in Paris against Ireland in the last Five Nations international of the season.
France opened the Championship with an 11-3 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield and followed that with a 13-0 victory over England at Stade Colombes. A narrow 3-0 defeat to Wales in Cardiff preceded their victory over Ireland but it was not enough to deny them the title.
1964
Peter Jackson, star England wing between 1956 and 1963, announces his retirement after turning out in a midweek club match for Coventry against Nuneaton. He was capped 20 times by his country between 1956 and 1963 - scoring eight tries.
He dotted down three scores during England's Grand Slam winning campaign in 1957 and also notched a memorable length-of-the-field try against Australia in 1958. He also toured with the British Lions in 1959 - earning another five caps. Following his retirement from the game Jackson became involved in the administrative aspect of the game and subsequently served as fixture secretary, club secretary and finally president of Coventry.
1952
The St Helen's ground-staff have to fork the pitch to drain off large stretches of water before the Swansea-Barbarians game can start. When the match eventually gets under way 15 minutes late, the home side are swamped 18-0. Welsh centre Malcolm Thomas literally walks on water to pick his way through the home defence to score the try of the game.
1979
Gloucester and England international Iain Balshaw is born in Blackburn. The versatile and pacey back made his name for English club side Bath before spells at Leeds and Gloucester. He made his England debut against Ireland on February 5, 2000. He also went on to claim three Test caps on the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2001.
1963
Italy achieve their then best away result, going down by the narrow margin of 14-12 to Michel Crauste's French team in Grenoble.
1953
The RAF, making a short Continental tour, are held to a 3-3 draw by a Spanish XV in Madrid.
1956
Denis Thatcher, a noted London referee in the 1950s, runs the line for England who lose 14-9 against France in Paris.
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