I WAS THERE: MAGIC GAMES WHICH WE WILL NEVER FORGET
RUGBY defines a Welsh nation and has produced some truly stellar moments down the decades. From Gareth Edwards and Barry John in the 1970s, through to Wales winning the Grand Slam last year, the Welsh public have been gripped by ‘I was there’ moments.
But what have been the personal standout favourites of our writers, the encounters they look back upon most fondly by taking into account the special circumstances and appreciating every second of a truly memorable match.
These are the personal favourites of our writers.
Nothing was off the table for their choices, international or club action, and there are some truly cracking encounters in there.
They must be good, given that Wembley 1999 doesn’t even make the list.
SIMON THOMAS WALES 29 SOUTH AFRICA 19 (MILLENNIUM STADIUM,
JUNE 1999)
I have watched hundreds, if not thousands, of rugby matches over the years, many of them in packed stadiums.
But the game that stands out for me, above all the rest, was one played out in a ground that was less than half full, a ground that wasn’t even finished.
The capacity was limited to 27,000 for the visit of the Springboks to the Millennium Stadium, which was still under construction.
But, in a way, that just added to the mystique and uniqueness of the occasion.
It was one of those real ‘I was there’ days.
It was a surreal experience all round, watching a game of rugby in what was effectively a building site, along with the construction workers who had been allowed in as a thank you for their Herculean efforts in trying to get the stadium ready for the impending World Cup.
It was also a truly historic day for Welsh rugby.
Never before had we beaten South Africa and just a year earlier they had consigned us to a record 96-13 hammering in Pretoria.
They were the reigning world champions and had arrived in Cardiff on the back of a record-equalling 17 consecutive Test victories.
All of which made what happened next all the more remarkable.
It was Mark Taylor who scored the opening try, not that I saw it.
All I saw were building workers leaping ecstatically in the air in front of me and hurling their hard hats into the sky.
The win was sealed by Gareth Thomas going over in the second half, following a bullocking charge by Scott Quinnell and superb hands from Neil Jenkins.
What a noise the 27,000 made as Alfie touched down. You could have sworn the place was full.
The victories in Paris and at Wembley were wonderful, but, for me, this was the greatest performance under Graham Henry and an occasion, quite simply, like no other.
MATTHEW SOUTHCOMBE WALES 9 NEW ZEALAND 29 (MILLENNIUM STADIUM,
NOVEMBER 2008)
I was 15 at the time. Old enough to understand Wales don’t usually beat the All Blacks.
So my expectation levels when I arrived at the then Millennium Stadium with my old man on November 22, 2008 were not particularly high.
But like most of us in Wales, by the time the warm-ups were done, there was hope that I was about to witness something special.
I probably didn’t have a full appreciation of what the Haka really meant to New Zealanders. Back then, I knew it was a war dance and I knew it was an almighty spectacle but that was about it.
To experience it in person was something special, but what followed that day will live with me forever. Wales didn’t move.
The Haka was over but Wales just stood there. The All Blacks, bemused, did the same.
This Mexican stand-off lasted 90 seconds, which is a long time in those circumstances.
When the crowd cottoned on to what was happening, the stadium erupted.
Everyone around me began losing their minds, the noise was deafening. It’s been tested many times over the years but I couldn’t fathom how the pressure inside the ground didn’t blow the roof off.
What has always impressed me to this day is how the Wales players just stood there, expressionless, in spite of the bedlam that was unfolding around them.
When New Zealand blinked first and eventually moved away to get ready for kick off, there was another almighty roar.
I still struggle to comprehend how the players managed to function in that environment.
While it whipped the crowd into a frenzy, it must have been absolutely nerve-shredding for those in the middle.
And, of course, when you do those things, there is then pressure to back it up.
Wales produced a good first-half display and stood toe-to-toe with New Zealand. The crowd did not let up for the first 20 minutes and it carried the players.
Stephen Jones kicked Wales into a 6-0 lead and then went on a barging run to towards the line, only for the All Blacks to kill the ball – just masterful.
Wales went in leading 9-6 at the break and I’m thinking: ‘Hang on, this could happen’.
Ultimately, though, Warren Gatland’s side fell away to lose 29-9.
All the pre-match stuff aside, it was still a joy to watch the likes of Richie McCaw, Ma’a Nonu and particularly Dan Carter in action.
Despite the result, it was a remarkable event to experience and still gives me goosebumps thinking about it now.
As a spectacle, nothing I’ve witnessed since has topped it.
ANDY HOWELL WALES 22 SAMOA 10 (VETCH FIELD, OCTOBER 1995)
I have chosen a rugby league game – but one which saw union come home as the lost generation avenged Wales’ humiliation against Samoa at the 1991 World Cup.
Just walking to Swansea City’s ground for this one was special as you could sense the tension and electricity in the air.
This was the return of the stars of the Wales team who had finished third at the 1987 World Cup, pocketed a Triple Crown the following year, but who had headed north after being lured by the money of league.
What a stellar cast list back in the red of Wales – Jonathan Davies, John Devereux, Paul Moriarty, Adrian Hadley, David Young, Rowland Phillips, Scott Gibbs, Scott Quinnell, Allan Bateman, Iestyn Harris, Mark Jones, Kevin Ellis and Anthony Sullivan.
Wow. Some line-up – and Welsh fans were desperate to see them smash into the big-hitting Samoans.
The kick-off had to be delayed by 20 minutes to get the capacity crowd into the ground for a real hairs-onthe-back-of the-neck night.
“Samoa had some players who had beaten up Wales at the 1991 union World Cup in Cardiff and we wanted