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Wales V New Zealand Classics: 1953

Wales V New Zealand Classics: 1953

9/12/1953 WALES 13 NEW ZEALAND 8
At Cardiff.

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This was the last win by Wales over New Zealand and came from a side that included five backs from the Cardiff club, who had already defeated Bob Stuart’s All Blacks by 8-3 earlier on their tour.

After a Sid Judd try, converted by Gwyn Rowlands, Wales fell behind to a try by Wellington flanker Bill Clark and a conversion and penalty by his pronvincial teammate Ron Jarden.

Centre Gareth Griffiths dislocated his shoulder, but returned to spark a revival that saw Wales speed downfield towards the River Taff end of the ground.

Rowlands placed an equalising penalty and then Clem Thomas crosskicked for the flying Ken Jones to defeat Jarden and Bob Scott in a dash for the line with Rowlands converting.

The great New Zealand commentator Winston McCarthy hailed it with, ‘A try, a winning try.’ And so it was. New Zealand defeated England, Scotland and Ireland, but lost to France.

Wales: G Williams; K Jones, G Griffiths, B Williams (capt), G Rowlands; C Morgan, R Willis; W O Williams, D Davies, C Meredith, R Stephens, R John, S Judd, J Gwilliam, RCC Thomas. Tries: Judd, K Jones. Cons: Rowlands 2. Pen: Rowlands.

New Zealand: B Scott; A Elsom, J Tanner, R Jarden; B Fitzpatrick, L Haig; K Davis; K Skinner, R Hemi, I Clarke, R White, N Dalzell, R Stuart (capt), W McCaw, W H Clark. Try: WH Clark. Con: Jarden. Pen: Jarden;

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