As everyone knows, that is the year that Wales beat the All Blacks for the first time – 110 years ago today, 16 December. It launched a sporting friendship and rivalry with New Zealand that has blossomed ever since and that will continue in the summer of 2016 with three Tests against the world champions in New Zealand.
On that great day 110 years ago the Welsh team, led by Gwyn Nicholls, triumphed 3-0 in a fixture that contained a number of notable firsts:
- it was the first international match that New Zealand had lost
- it was the first game played by New Zealand in Wales
- it was the first, and the only, time Dave Gallaher’s ‘Originals’ lost on their 35 match tour
- it was the first time Wales sung the National Anthem before a game, in retaliation to the Haka
Gallaher’s men had become the talk of the sporting world from the moment they beat the reigning English county champions, Devon, 55-4 in their opening game. Wales were their 28th opponent on tour and they had already beaten Scotland (12-7), Ireland (15-0) and England (15-0).
They hadn’t conceded a point in seven and a half matches (10 hours) before arriving in Cardiff, including Test against Ireland and England, and had kept a clean sheet in 22 of their 27 games.
Gallaher’s team received a hero’s welcome on their arrival in Cardiff, even though it was close to midnight. The train station was packed to the rafters with well wishers and the police had to force a path through the crowds outside to allow the tourists to reach their hotel.
To illustrate the high regard in which Gallaher, who died in WW1, was held his jersey from the 1905 tour recently sold at an auction in Cardiff for £180,000.
As the hype surrounding the tour mounted, one of the members of the Welsh Football Union committee, the former international and international referee Tom Williams, hatched a plan to counteract the effect of the Haka.
He wrote to the Western Mail and asked the fans to join in with the Welsh players in singing ‘Hen Wlad fy Nhadau’ after the Maori war cry had been delivered.
The Welsh Regiment’s 2nd Battalion Band played ‘Men of Harlech’ before the teams came onto the field and it was Teddy Morgan who started the singing in the players huddle in the middle of the field. It didn’t take long for the 40,000 crowd – the gates had been closed an hour before kick-off – to join in and the effect was mesmerising.
Prior to the match the tourists’ had complained about the choice of referees offered to them by the Welsh Football Union. The WFU, in turn, vetoed the four names suggested by tour manager George Dixon. In the end, Scotland appointed John Dallas, an ex-international forward who, at 27, was in only his second season as a referee and was younger than both captains!
Preparations for the game were meticulous from the home side. Players went to see them play against Bristol in their third fixture and the WFU sent a dlegation to watch them play Glulcester. They won both games by more than 40 points.
Two Welsh trials were held, the first on 20 November and the ‘Probables’ played with the New Zealand seven formation and were beaten 18-9. The second trial took place a mere two weeks before the big day, on 2 December, and this time the ‘Probables’ triumphed 33-11 with a much stronger team.
Five days later 13 of the selected team had a training session under the direction of scrum half Dicky Owen. There was a second session on 12 December.
The captain, Nicholls, and his business partner Winfield decided to work at their Victoria Laundry offices on the morning of the match to calm their nerves. They were delighted when a black cat walked into their office and they both stroked it for good luck.
The two men then headed to the Arms Park where Nicholls delivered a stirring pre-match speech:
Gather round men. The eyes of the rugby world are on Wales today. It is up to us to prove that the Old Country is not quite barren of a team that is capable of giving New Zealand at least a hard fight. Every man in possession must be put down, ball and all. As for the forwards, you already know what to do to get the loose head. Come on! Let’s get out!
New Zealand came into the game without three of their best players, Smith, Stead and Cunningham, and found Wales battling for the loose head side of the scrum every time Mr Dallas blew his whistle. In the end, New Zealand were penalised so often when Gallaher put the ball into the scrum that he told his hooker to stop striking for the ball.
This meant the All Blacks had to fight for possession in the loose, where they found the Welsh pack equally keen to secure the ball. The Welsh backs had plenty of ball to play with a Willie Llewellyn was presented with a great opportunity to score, but left the ball behind.
Eventually the move that Owen had hatched in training was put into action and it resulted in the most famous try ever scored by a Welshman. The game was 23 minutes old when the try came and this is how Nicholls described the action in his book, ‘The Modern Rugby Game’:
Owen got the ball on the twenty-five line, and set off round the scrum; the New Zealanders came round to block the way, so Owen sent away a long pass to the left, which Cliff Pritchard, our extra back, secured, and drawing the defence, sent to Gabe, who set off with Morgan in close attendance ready to take the final transfer and go in, wide out, but sufficient for our needs.
The All Blacks pressed hard in the second half to maintain their winning record and dominated the final 10 minutes. Eventually, Billy Wallace sent his co-centre Bob Deans on a run for the line and he was hauled down just short. Or was he?
The 21-year-old Deans died only three years later of peritonitis, but swore on his death-bed that he had scored a try and that he had been pulled back behind the line by a Welsh player before Mr Dallas arrived on the scene. The referee’s verdict was ‘No Try’, although Gabe, the Welsh centre who had tackled him, claimed the score should have stood.
That incident sparked a ‘did-he-didn’t-he’ score argument about the Deans try that rages to this day. It has become part of the folklore of the greatest game ever played!
CLICK HERE to read the match report in The Times
THE 1905 WELSH TEAM
GWYN NICHOLLS (Cardiff, Captain) Known as the ‘Prince of Centres’. He was one of the greatest players of his era. He won 24 caps for Wales between 1896-1906, played in four Tests for the British & Irish Lions in Australia, becoming the first Welshman to play in a Test for the Lions, and even became an international referee, taking charge of the 1909 Calcutta Cup match. In conjunction with Gabe and Bush, he was among the first Welshmen to beat all three southern hemisphere sides, helping Cardiff to a 17-0 win over the Springboks in 1907. He became a Wales selector and is in the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
BERT WINFIELD (Cardiff) Scored 50 points for Wales in his 15 internationals and was one of the stars of the win over New Zealand. His kicking out of hand was prodigious and kept the All Blacks at bay. Was in the original Grand Slam team in 1908 and won two Triple Crowns. Was the brother-in-law and business partner of Gwyn Nicholls. In his last international he helped Wales to beat Australia. He became a Welsh golf international in 1912.
WILLIE LLEWELLYN (Llwynypia) Marked his Wales debut with four tries against England in 1899 and scored 20 in 24 internationals for Wales (16 in 20) and the British & Irish Lions (4 in 4). Led Wales to 1905 Triple Crown, this was his last international appearance.
RHYS GABE (Cardiff) Another great centre who, along with Llewellyn, Morgan, Bush, and Harding had played against New Zealand for the 1904 British & Irish Lions. In 24 games for Wales between 1896-1908 he won four Triple Crowns and a Grand Slam. In this game he provided Morgan with the scoring pass and tackled Bob Deans to save a try.
TEDDY MORGAN (London Welsh) A Grand Slam winner in 1908, the scorer of 14 tries in 16 games for Wales and a British & Irish Lions Test captain. But there is one thing this doctor is remembered for and that is scoring the try that beat New Zealand in 1905!
PERCY BUSH (Cardiff) He had played in four Tests for the British & Irish Lions on their 1904 tour to Australia and New Zealand, but this was the first of his eight caps for Wales. The first of the great Welsh outside halves.
DICKY OWEN (Swansea) Won a record 35 caps for Wales between 1901-1912, a landmark that lasted for more than 40 years, and won three Grand Slams and five Triple Crowns. He invented the move that led to the try by Morgan, running blind and feinting to pass to Bush before reverse passing to the extra back Cliff Pritchard on the open side. Pritchard fed Gabe who then sent Morgan clear.
DAI ‘TARW’ JONES (Aberdare) The biggest man to play for Wales, he was 6’ 1” tall and weighed more than 15 stone. A policeman, he played 13 times for Wales between 1902-1906, losing only twice. He won two Triple Crowns before turning professional and beating New Zealand again with Wales and Great Britain. He was badly injured in the Battle of the Somme.
GEORGE TRAVERS (Pill Harriers) Hard as nails and fitter than anyone, this Newport docks coal trimmer became recognised as the first specialist hooker in the game. He won so much ball at the scrum that the All Blacks didn’t know what to do. He won 25 caps between 1903-1911, including three Grand Slams and four Triple Crowns. His son, Williams, went on to win 18 caps and play for the British & Irish Lions – also at hooker!
CHARLIE PRITCHARD (Newport) Charlie Pritchard won 14 caps between 1904-1910 and was involved in the first two Grand Slam sides. He had led Newport in their 6-3 defeat to the All Blacks and is regarded as one of the greatest Welsh forwards of the first ‘Golden Era’. He was one of the 13 Welsh internationals who died in WW1.
JF ‘JACK’ WILLIAMS (London Welsh) Turned in a great, harassing performance that helped Wales knock New Zealand out of their stride. Won four Welsh caps, making his debut in the Triple Corwn victory over Ireland in 1905, and also played in one Test on the 1908 British & Irish Lions tour. He died at 28 after contracting blackwater fever in Nigeria in 1911 while working for the Colonial Service.
ARTHUR HARDING (London Welsh) ‘Boxer’ Harding twice toured with the British & Irish Lions and was captain in 1908. He made his Wales debut in the 1902 Triple Crown victory over England and won 20 caps, including three Triple Crowns and a Grand Slam. Emigrated to New Zealand in 1910.
JEHODIA HODGES (Newport) His high energy levels made him a nuisance for New Zealand and one of the best forwards on the field for Wales. Won 23 caps for Wales between 1899-1906 and won three Triple Crowns. First Welsh forward to score a hat-trick of tries – albeit as a replacement wing against England in 1903.
WILL JOSEPH (Swansea) Played three times against 1905 All Blacks, losing 9-0 with Glamorgan and 4-3 with Swansea. Won 16 caps for Wales between 1902-1906, including two Triple Crowns. He was a cousin of Dicky Owen and was also a Welsh quoits international.
CLIFF PRITCHARD (Newport) The Pontypool undertaker became the unsung hero of the win over New Zealand, playing as an extra back and spoiling the visiting half-backs. He won five caps between 1904-1906. On his return to Pontypool by train after the game he was carried home shoulder high from the station.
