KEY POINTS:
The man who kicked away Scotland's greatest chance of beating New Zealand will be at Murrayfield tomorrow hoping this Scottish team can make history and finally put an end to his own tortured memories.
The All Blacks are playing their 27th test against Scotland. They have never lost
one, going back to 1905.
There have been just two draws, a 0-0 thriller in 1964 and in 1983 a 25-all draw against Stu Wilson's All Blacks that was within an inch or two of what would have been Scotland's most famous rugby victory.
With time just about up that November day at Murrayfield, Scottish wing Jim Pollock raced on to a kick through by centre David Johnston to score wide out. Fullback Peter Dods lined up the conversion attempt about 2m in from touch. "Aye, there was a fair bit of euphoria," Dods said with disingenuous humour this week.
"Actually, the place was going mad. I knew full well what was resting on that kick. At the end of the day, you blank the noise and just try to get your concentration levels up. I hit the ball well and for a time it was touch and go whether it went through the posts. But it just faded to go over the posts, there was really nothing in it, it was so close.
"Of course, it would have made history but these things happen in games. Yes, the kick did miss the chance to win the game and make history. But you can't blame just one kick. Maybe there were missed tackles that led to some New Zealand scores that day, for example.
"So it didn't get me down that much, really. I was disappointed at the time but you move on, don't you?"
Dods has only ever watched the match once on film. It wasn't televised live in the UK but a New Zealand TV crew gave him a copy of their broadcast back home.
"I watched it once, that was all. I think it's somewhere in a cupboard at my home but I couldn't tell you where. I would just love the Scotland team on Saturday to end that unwanted record. But it's a tough task. I suspect it'll be the same old story - how long can we hold them out."
In one sense, Dods had already done more than his duty that day. Scotland were outscored by three tries (Jock Hobbs and Bernie Fraser with a brace) to one, but five penalty goals by Dods kept chipping away at the All Blacks' lead.
But in the end, it was the most important one of his life he missed, although that same season, just a few months later, his exemplary goal kicking helped steer Scotland to only the second Grand Slam in their history in the old Five Nations Championship.
And besides, if you ask those All Blacks of that day, they'd swear they scored another try in the dying moments. After a late assault on the Scottish line, Mark "Cowboy" Shaw seemed to have got over but French referee "Walkaway" Rene Hourquet brought play back for a penalty to the All Blacks for obstruction.
But before it could be taken, Scottish touch judge Brian Anderson intervened and Hourquet was persuaded to change his mind.
"Aye, Anderson was a true Scotsman" joked Dods.
Peter Bills is a rugby writer for Independent News & Media in London
