WHEN an inexperienced England face favourites Wales at Twickenham on Saturday, it will bring back fond memories for Jim Parsons.

Parsons, who lives in Wootton, near Woodstock, was one of eight debutants as England hosted a star-studded Wales on January 20, 1968.

Now as England are again underdogs in Saturday’s RBS Six Nations clash, Parsons hopes they can succeed where his team just came up short in an 11-11 draw.

Lock Parsons was one of Oxford RFC’s best players and earned his cap after joining Northampton.

“It was a big deal,” he said. “Wales were a very good team and had far better players than we did.

“A lot of us were fairly amateurish. They had players like Barry John and Gareth Edwards.

“We were winning until right at the end. Their scrum half took a penalty kick, which went under the bar, but Bob Hiller dropped the ball.

“They had a scrum five and scored from it.”

Parsons won four caps for England in 1968, but his top-level career was ended by a knee injury suffered while playing sevens that year.

“I tried to come back numerous times, but every time my knee blew up with fluid,” he said.

Parsons was born in Woodstock and still works as a farmer today.

He vividly remembers how he felt on his England debut.

“It was the most amazing thing ever, trotting out at Twickenham in front of 70,000 people,” said Parsons.

“There was one occasion when I went storming through a line-out and whacked Barry John properly, even Bill McLaren said that.”

He added: “They were amazing days and playing for England was just gorgeous, although it was a different sort of game to now,”

Parsons, who will watch Saturday’s match on TV, expects the current Welsh side to pose a real threat.

He said: “I think Wales are a bit strong, it would be brilliant if we won.”