Those were the days Wales at Murrayfield, 1953 and 1975
Selections from
The Herald Picture Store
MURRAYFIELD has witnessed many pulsating rugby internationals between Scotland and Wales, but surely few can have taxed the police and the match stewards as much as the March 1975 encounter did (main image).
Several thousand people were turned away from the stadium and many others who paid, or had tickets, were unable to get into the packed terraces.
It was estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 fans may have been unable to see the match. A Scottish Rugby Union official said there had been some 100,000 people inside and in the vicinity of Murrayfield when the gates were closed by police 30 minutes before kick-off “in the interest of public safety”.
Consideration would now be given, the official added, to making certain games all-ticket in the future.
Several thousand Welsh fans, many of whom had been in Scotland for up to five days before the game, were among the disappointed people who were refused admission.
A senior Edinburgh city police officer said they had turned away “fairly large” numbers of intending spectators, but there had been no trouble. The terraces, he added, had become congested. The police, with the assistance of stewards, felt it necessary to bring people down onto the track as the crowd built up. “The fact is that more people turned up than were expected.”
The Five Nations game itself, which marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of Murrayfield, saw Scotland triumph by 12 points to 10.
“A record crowd of more than 80,000 honoured the day,” wrote the Glasgow Herald’s Bill Mcmurtrie, “but it was not a match for such an occasion.
“Play was tight and too tense. Both sides played the percentage game, neither willing to offer even the most remote risk...
“Scotland’s winning margin was unsatisfactory, a drop goal and three penalty goals to a try and two penalty goals, and the Scots played below themselves, not so much because they could not but more because they would not when they could have.”
The other picture here dates from February 1953. Scotland lost 0-12 to Wales; worse, it was their ninth consecutive international defeat. “That was depressing enough in itself,” observed our rugby correspondent, “but what was even more disheartening was that the Scottish team’s display -- or that of their backs at least -- made the possibility of a revival in the near future seem more remote than ever.”
Our correspondent did not mince his words; his report concluded: “Not one handling move looked likely to succeed and the general standard of kicking in both attack and defence could only be described as ridiculous.”
The picture shows the Scottish captain and scrum-half A.f.dorward making a spirited dash for a loose ball with J.R.G. Stephens, of Wales.
Scotland’s remaining Five Nations games that season saw them lose 8-26 at home to Ireland (“Better Scottish team outplayed”, ran our headline) and 26-8 in London, to England (“Scotland’s deficiencies at Twickenham”).