‘Yoga-trance' saw Tim smash kicking records

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful

- Brendan Gallagher

What’s happening here?

Its January 18, 2003 and Leicester’s points machine Tim Stimpson is lining up another big kick against Neath in a Heineken Cup pool game at Welford Road. Reigning champions Tigers are looking for a third consecutive title and have already won the Pool but are looking to secure the highest possible seeding and a home quarter-final while memories of a 16-16 draw down at Neath earlier in the competition linger. Tigers and Stimpson badly want this.

The story behind the picture?

Stimpson was a remarkable goal kicker and a curiously underrated player who should have won more than his 19 England caps plus the one Test for the Lions in 1997. Between 1998 and 2003, first with Newcastle and then with Leicester, he was a member of five consecutive Premier ship winning sides while also contributing massively to Leicester’s two Heineken Cup triumphs.

For those five years there was no better or more reliable goal kicker in the game and it was during his four seasons with Leicester that he garnered most of his 1,255 Premiership points. If not the first name on the team sheet he wasn’t far behind Martin Johnson and Neil Back.