BENNY’S RECOLLECTIONS

Phil Bennett was master of all he surveyed in 1976.

He had recovered from the nonsense of being left out of the squad the previous year to take a commanding grip on the Wales No. 10 jersey.

For Llanelli, he could do no wrong.

Wales were now moving up the gears and their little fly-half was at the centre of it all.

What are his memories of the game in Dublin and the supposed threats certain Wales players received?

“I think there was a feeling that a sports team visiting Ireland back then would be taking a risk,” says Bennett.

“I can’t speak for others but I didn’t receive any threats myself.

“As players we left it to the Welsh Rugby Union to make the call on whether it would be safe to go there.

“In 1972, amid terrible violence in Belfast, they had felt it would be too dangerous. This time, they felt it would be OK. So we flew out and not for a single minute was I concerned.” hotel,” recalls Bennett.

“We were told to keep an eye out for anything potentially troublesome.

“A few of us went for a stroll and one or two of the boys said they’d spotted a plainclothes detective 50 yards behind us.

“That was the extent of it. I have always found the Irish great.

“I know there were a lot of bad things happening in Belfast during that era, but I didn’t have fears for my safety.”