BT Sport examines rugby rivalry in The Grudge

BT Sport has announced that documentary film The Grudge will premiere at 10.15pm on BT Sport 1 on 20 January.

The Grudge retells the historic Five Nations rugby clash between England and Scotland in 1990, a match which saw both sides aiming for a Grand Slam. Contributions from the likes of Sir Ian McGeechan, Jeremy Guscott, Jim Telfer, Gavin Hastings and John Jeffery, as well as narration from Robert Carlyle, archive footage and music, aim to recapture the momentous occasion. 

The documentary is inspired by the book, The Grudge: Two Nations, One Match, No Holds Barred, written by journalist Tom English. The game marked the first time the two nations had gone head-to-head for a Grand Slam, while also up for grabs was the Triple Crown, the Calcutta Cup and the Five Nations Championship. The match took place amidst sporting tension between the two countries. Just a year earlier, the countries’ annual international football fixture was abandoned after the 1989 match at Hampden Park was overrun by hooliganism and unrest.

The Grude was produced by BT Sport Films, and led by director and producer Tom Boswell. Sally Brown was executive producer.

Brown said: “The Grudge re-captures the spirit of that unique time and will prove an evocative watch both for those who watched the game in 1990, and those who are new to the story.”