Wales face South Africa for the 24th time, in the Principality Building Society Summer Test at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 5 June, looking for only their second victory in the 100 year history of the fixture – but 1970’s legend Mervyn Davies believes they should be going for a hat-trick.
Wales’ only win to date is reasonably fresh in the memory, coming just over a decade ago on 26 June 1999, in the Millennium Stadium’s inaugural match, but there has been another significant clash, on 24 January, 1970, which Davies and a certain Gareth Edwards have good reason to remember well.
Edwards, who led the side out as Wales’ youngest captain, scored a try deep into injury time which remains one of the most iconic moments of a golden era for the national game.
The try tied the game at 6-6, but the man widely recognised as Wales greatest ever player proved he was fallible by missing the conversion that would have sealed an historic victory.
Davies, who was a fresh face in the Wales side at that time, remembers well the controversy surrounding the tour and the day itself as Wales rewrote the history books, but he maintains they should have come away with a victory.
“It was a day that I will never forget, for a host of different reasons,” said Davies.
“Yes, we should have won and yes, we had chances to do so. However, it was not to be and all of us who took part have to accept that it was an opportunity missed, but an experience that we will always remember.
“I couldn’t tell you the Wales line up, I still can’t believe the conditions and I find it hard to explain just how I felt to wear the red of Wales against three of my real rugby heroes.
“For me, it was the realisation of a dream. I had spent the previous few years in awe of the Springbok back row of Greyling, Bedford and Ellis and here I was, playing for my country and up against that trio.”
The match came to life in the second half with a try, against the run of play, by left wing Syd Nomis. De Villiers and Edwards traded penalties, but refusing to give up and trailing by only three points to South Africa’s unconverted try and penalty, Wales responded by spreading the ball wide.
Deep into injury time, Phil Bennett, playing out of position on the right wing, fed Barry John who kicked high and wide to centre Ian Hall. Having secured the ball, Hall set up a ruck ten metres from the South African line after which Edwards, spotting that Nomis was embroiled in the ruck and unable to defend the far side of the field, darted along the blindside to quite literally splat down for the score that brought the sides level.
The match very nearly became Wales’s first victory over South Africa, but despite stepping up with confidence in a bid to land the conversion, Edwards left his kick short and wide.
In the first half Wales had come out of the traps quickly playing towards the West Stand but despite one or two opportunities, remained scoreless.
As had become the norm for Wales South Africa fixtures at the Arms Park of the era, the conditions were to play a major part with Davies admitting that clean, expansive rugby was “virtually impossible.”
Despite the near impossible conditions, a smaller than normal attendance due to the rebuilding of the North Stand and a team barely recognisable from its previous game, Wales earned a first ever share of the spoils with the Springboks.
At the time many critics had suggested should not have been played due to the opposition to the Apartheid regime.
Howls of dissent had greeted the Springboks at each of their matches on that controversial tour, whilst the touring party, who had lived cocooned in their hotels, had already lost to Scotland 6-3, England 11-8 and drawn with Ireland 8-8 before heading to Cardiff.
In the end, they left Cardiff with a second draw, as Edwards produced a moment of pure genius to send the crowd home ecstatic.
“The game was played at the height of Apartheid and the likes of our own politician Peter Hain was at the forefront, making his first significant political appearance,” said Davies.
“Personally, I felt sorry for the Springboks because they had spent the past few weeks incarcerated in various hotels around Britain, unable to enjoy what should have been a wonderful experience for them.
“As for us, well, we were severely depleted and the conditions were dreadful.
“I had played against their back row twice before on the tour, for the Barbarians and the London Counties, but this was special again. In at least one of the previous two games, they had given me the run-around.
“On this occasion, I was determined to do a better job and thanks to the mud, I did. Having said that, it was most definitely the mud that slowed them down. It was a great leveller.”
