WALES 3 FRANCE 11
(at St Helen’s, Swansea)
This was the first-ever win by France in Wales and it proved to be a battle both on and off the field, as the crowd rioted with bottles and fruit being thrown at the French players.
It was a big French pack and Robert Soro and Albert Moga were massive men at lock with skipper Guy Basquet behind them. Soro, in particular, will be remembered and both he and try-scoring wing Michel Pomathios have returned in recent years on separate visits to St Helen’s.
Pomathios became the first French player to represent the Barbarians when he appeared at Cardiff on Easter Saturday 1952 to the delight of the Arms Park crowd.
Centre Maurice Terrau took an interception to score and then another for a Pomathios try, as Wales, led by scrum half Haydn Tanner, disappointed. Forward Ossie Williams kicked his only goal for Wales, though lock Bill Tamplin was the regular kicker.
Wales included five Cardiff backs and five forwards, but used fly half Billy Cleaver as a centre and centre Jackie Matthews as a wing.
Scorers.
Wales – Pen: Ossie Williams.
France – Tries: Guy Basquet, Maurice Terrau, Michel Pomathios. Con: Andre Alvarez.
