Allez Les Rouges!
This fantastic picture shows Sir Gareth Edwards line up for his Wales debut against France en route to becoming the world’s greatest rugby player. Today – an incredible 50 years on – he urges the Class of 2017 to create more special memories...
YOU know you’ve arrived in Paris when within 10 minutes of landing at Orly Airport you see Frenchmen air-kissing each other with that elegant Continental charm.
You know you’ve arrived in Paris for a sporting weekend when said kissing Frenchmen are legends of their respective games – football’s matinee idol David Ginola and rugby’s little maestro Thomas Casteignede.
But almost 50 years ago, Paris was the stage for an icon of Welsh sport to introduce himself to the world. Sir Gareth Edwards made his international debut against France in the 1967 Five Nations as a wideeyed 19-year-old. And while he didn’t greet his new teammates with a Gallic mwah mwah, he certainly held his very first Welsh shirt “lovingly and kissed the badge”.
As he recollected in a recent WRU interview, his call-up was unexpected and thrilling.
“I was less than a year out of school, I’d only played a handful of games for Cardiff and a few others for Cardiff College of Education. So nobody was more surprised than me when I got selected,” Gareth explained.
“On the day of the team announcement, I was in college and I got one of my friends to telephone the Cardiff club to ask what the team was. I can still see him now, listening and nodding his head and then all of a sudden he turned towards me and gave me the thumbsup. I was stunned; I couldn’t believe it. He put the phone down and I started to grill him – ‘Who did you speak to, what did they say?’ In the end, I asked him to change his voice and ring again.
“He put another 4d into the coin slot on the old telephone and rang again. He gave me the thumbs-up for a second time and I was stunned. You could have flattened me there and then.”
If the communication methods of imparting this momentous news will sound surreal to the smartphone generation, Gareth’s match preparation wasn’t much more sophisticated than his childhood throw-abouts on his beloved Cae Archie (Archie’s Field) back home in Gwaun Cae Gurwen.
Gareth was keen to establish a rapport with his new halfback partner, the Wales captain and No.10 David Watkins, so suggested meeting up for what he calls “a throw about”.
They duly met up at the Arms Park a few days before the France match, requested a ball to practise with... and the groundsman refused point blank to grant their request.
Gareth calmly explained they were playing for Wales at the weekend and needed a ball. The groundsman wasn’t for budging.
In the end, he wrapped Watkins’ coat into the shape of a ball – or as best as – and used that instead! Wonder what Rhys Webb and Dan Biggar would think of that today!
At the old Stade Colombes, the teenage scrum-half savoured every sight and sound of his international arrival.
“It was a very special occasion and it is still very vivid in my mind, although I can’t believe it was that long ago,” said Gareth, who will celebrate another milestone later this year – his 70th birthday.
He can reflect on a dazzling career that saw 53 consecutive caps, three Grand Slams, five Five Nations championships, two victorious Lions tours and the accolade of being voted the Greatest Player of All Time. Not to mention the Knighthood, of course. But his first chance to shine for Wales in the City of Light still glows bright in his memory.
“It was the biggest occasion of my sporting life and something I had always dreamed about achieving. The whole occasion was just an unbelievable experience. Gerry Lewis presented me with my first Welsh jersey and he really did make it a moment to cherish.
“What I remember most of all is just how quickly it all went. I couldn’t believe it when the referee blew the final whistle, just before Dewi Bebb shoved the match ball up my jersey.
“It was a wonderful memento of a wonderful day in my life and I’ve still got the ball in my house.”
There is another precious memory for Gareth from that spring day in Paris 50 years ago: “Before the game, I went out to have a look around the ground and I had the shock of my life when I looked at the terraces and saw a girl in a red coat. It was Maureen, my girlfriend and now wife.”
Gareth had no idea Maureen would be there. Her presence
made his debut complete.
So much of Welsh rugby culture has changed over those five decades but the value of unconditional family support remains the same.
Becky James, a fabulous sports star in her own right, with two Olympic cycling silvers to her name, was no doubt feeling the same pride in partner George North, as she flew out from Cardiff yesterday morning, as Maureen Edwards did heading to Paris to watch Gareth all those years ago.
And the wider fan family on the French Trip still hark back to the template of support that was immortalised by classic comedy Grand Slam – which like Gareth is marking an anniversary this season.
It’s 40 years since Mog went the Whole Hog, Mr Lloyd Evans went in search of his Little Butterfly and Dewi Pws scored in all senses.
On the plane with a five-strong group from Rhondda and Mountain Ash, John Cumpston grinned as he described how they were hoping to give their match weekend a certain je ne sais quoi by asking the bus driver picking them up at Orly Airport to wield a sign with “Maldwyn Novello Pugh” on it.
While the obvious appeal of the Roman holiday has replaced the French trip for some fans, John believes Paris is the rugby purists’ choice.
“For us France is the best trip. Paris is such a fantastic city.
“It’s great to come here with the mates we always come with – we’ve been coming here for 20 years – and you can just get lost in Paris. So much to see and do,” he explained.
So much, in fact, John’s gang don’t actually go to the match itself.
“We stopped going to the stadium to see the game when they moved from Parc des Princes to Stade de France.
“We’ll watch the match in a bar in Montmartre after lunch in a nice restaurant with a couple of bottles of red wine. One of the boys is a baker so we’ve got to try all the local breads. And if we stay in town we won’t miss the Ireland v England game.”
As the Grand Slam is decided in Dublin, John is hoping the Welsh can finish with a flourish in France.
“Wales have been late starters this season as usual.
“The faith has never gone away for me because any team can beat anyone on their day – but we’re just waiting for those days to be one after another.”
Although Wales will be attempting to seal their sixth consecutive win over Les Blues, John echoed the views of several fans when he predicted a tight game against a resurgent French side.
“France are coming back to their best. Big brutal forwards and a little bit of adventure behind.
“That’s the kind of play we like to see. I think France are everybody’s secret second side really. We like to watch them play.”
At the other end of the supporting scale from John’s stalwart tourists was 17-year-old Callum Owen, on his inaugral away game with father Mike, who played on the wing for Ebbw Vale.
“It’s his first trip and the first time both of us have been to Paris,” explained Mike as we landed in the French capital yesterday.
“He’s asked if we’ll be able to have a chill in the hotel but I’ve told him that’s not how a rugby weekend works,” Mike laughed. No sleeping on tour, as they say.
And just like another Welsh teenager discovered 50 years ago, you have to savour every single moment of your debut in Paris... » Big match preview: Sport » More: Today’s magazine