Wales v Ireland 1977 Scrum V Classics

By 1976, the second golden era of Welsh rugby was well under way.

'JPR scores the try!'

Mervyn Davies, the captain, palms to Edwards.

Bennett getting a lovely service now.

Gravell bouncing off that tackle... It could be another try for Wales!

Bennett... Bennett going himself!

Oh, brilliant dummy!

In that year's Five Nations, they were invincible, sweeping

all before them to win their second Grand Slam of the decade.

JJ Williams must score!

Well, '76 was one of the greatest Grand Slam

seasons of the lot, I feel.

Mervyn Davies as captain played some spectacular rugby

and some great victories, and I think that will rank

as one of the best Welsh teams ever - under Mervyn Davies.

The expectations in Wales were so high.

We had set the standard such... The bar was so high

that the people of Wales expected every time.

If we had gone and lost a game narrowly,

it would have been the end of the world for us.

So, er, we were under pressure to win at any cost.

But what was so good about it, not only did we just win

but we won in style more often than not,

and that was the strength of the Welsh team in the '70s.

BAND PLAYS AND CROWD SING

So, when we go into this 1977 season, first of all,

we were without the great Mervyn Davies -

not as a great No 8, a world class No 8,

but as a great captain as well.

So, we're looking for a new captain - that was Phil Bennett...

And Phil Bennett, for the first time,

leads Wales onto the international field at Cardiff Arms Park.

It was a cold, windy day in Cardiff, and when you play against Ireland,

they're a difficult team to play against.

They're all over you, swarming all over you, and we did struggle.

We struggled to, er, have that platform.

but if you look at the Welsh team in the '70s,

most of their points were scored in the last quarter of an hour.

More often than not, we had to weather the storm

until the last 20-25 minutes -

that's the way, basically, we played the game.

And Ireland knew that,

and they really got amongst us, they disrupted us -

but they couldn't do it for the whole 80 minutes.

Wales, with 11 of the side

that beat France and won the Grand Slam last season.

Three new caps - David Burcher,

for the injured Gravell,

Clive Burgess on the flank

and Jeff Squire, who has the formidable task

of following in the footsteps of the great Mervyn Davies.

One other change brings back Glyn Shaw,

with 10 caps already, to the front row,

in place of Charlie Faulkner.

And of course, Phil Bennett, the new captain.

Ireland with a bold selection.

Tom Grace's XV includes five new caps, four in the backs -

full-back Frank Wilson and fellow Ulsterman

Alistair McKibbin in the centre,

and another 19-year-old, Jimmy Bowen, on the wing.

The referee, Norman Sanson, who refereed this match

in Dublin last year.

As Mike Gibson starts the international.

To Phil Bennett.

CROWD CHEERS

Beautiful kick from a narrow angle.

As cool as they come, Phil Bennett, taking the line-out...

..up to the halfway line.

WHISTLE BLOWS Troubles in the line-out.

Pushing, obstruction, by Ireland.

And Phil Bennett has nominated Allan Martin

to kick for goal from just inside the Irish half.

And that may look a long way, but it's well within the range

of the massive boot of Allan Martin.

And the chance to put Wales in front.

CROWD FALLS SILENT

Never really got hold of it. Frank Wilson...

That's a safe clearance.

Bobby Windsor with the throw.

Jeff Squire... And Shay Deering going through.

Pat Whelan kicks on.

Fenwick.

And that was out on the full from outside the 22,

so they'll come back for the line-out.

So, Ireland making a bold start,

with their young side.

A blend of experience as well.

Jeff Squire again with the palm-down, but Ireland have it.

McGrath, Gibson...

On to McIlrath.

Gibson on the loop - switches direction.

Cuts inside Windsor, but Squire has him.

Picked up by Jimmy Bowen.

WHISTLE BLOWS

McGrath...

Wales wheel it - the pick-up by Willie Duggan.

Ireland did well to rescue that difficult ball.

McGrath again, Gibson, McIlrath...

On from McKibbin. This is full-back Frank Wilson in the line.

Useful kick, JPR underneath...

Taken on by McIlrath - only five metres short!

And a real onslaught coming from the Irish,

only to be interrupted by a penalty decision against them.

But Ireland really throwing down the gauntlet to Wales.

Gareth Edwards takes the penalty, but that's not in touch.

Frank Wilson...

..darting inside Trefor Evans,

but kicking the ball over the Welsh goal line.

JPR Williams, then, touches down for the drop-out.

That didn't cross the 22-metre line,

and the referee is playing advantage, as Willie Duggan drives on.

The ball knocked on, so it's a scrummage to Wales.

Gareth Edwards, whose presence in the Welsh team was in some doubt,

following a slight hamstring twinge last week -

he passes back to Phil Bennett.

Making room for himself, and just getting the kick in, as...

..Gibson and McKinney came through very quickly with Robbie McGrath.

Trefor Evans doing good cleaning-up work at the tail of the line.

Edwards to Bennett.

Fenwick...

..gets the clearance kick in himself,

but still some way infield, as Frank Wilson counters for Ireland.

Loose pass, picked up by McGrath.

The 19-year-old, McKibbin, out to Jimmy Bowen -

bouncing off Steve Fenwick.

And Steve Fenwick, with his 13 stones there,

really giving a powerful shoulder charge,

that sent Jimmy Bowen reeling.

The two new Welsh caps there - 7, Clive Burgess, of Ebbw Vale,

and the No 8, Jeff Squire, Newport's first cap for seven years,

since Barry Llewellyn and Bill Raybould.

But it's the Irish No 8, Duggan, who gets the palm-down.

Squire, though, intercepting it - Allan Martin chips on ahead.

Frank Wilson for Ireland.

JPR Williams covering.

And the ball, of course, a little greasy.

We had some rain this morning.

Williams to JJ Williams.

Good run. Support from Allan Martin, on to Geoff Wheel.

And that ball dropping at the feet of JJ Williams,

but fine interplay between the winger and the Irish front five.

Robbie McGrath straightening the scrummage -

taking over as scrum-half from John Robbie.

The scrummage collapses, the pick-up by McGrath.

But gets his pass to Edwards by mistake. This is Phil Bennett...

A testing kick for Frank Wilson.

That was judged to perfection.

A rather hushed crowd, I think somewhat surprised at the way

that Ireland have taken the game to Wales in this first quarter.

And they have it again - through McKinney. From McGrath to Gibson...

McIlrath misses out McKibbin, with Frank Wilson in the line.

Chipping through for Grace - JPR Williams covers.

Caught by Shay Deering.

Good work by Trefor Evans.

Allan Martin at the tail of the line,

but Edwards...

From Fenwick, rather loose pass, picked up by Gerald Davies -

trying to run round Jimmy Bowen.

Has support, but the referee is calling them way back

to the other side of the field for a penalty to Wales.

CROWD BOOS

And the crowd somewhat incensed,

because Wales were really in control then,

with a possible scoring chance,

as JPR Williams came up in support of Gerald Davies.

But it's a penalty back inside the Welsh half.

Phil Bennett miskicks.

And Tom Grace's kick charged down by Glyn Shaw,

the new prop, who returns for his 11th cap.

Moss Keane to McGrath.

Edwards... But taken by Geoff Wheel, in fact.

Edwards now - to Bennett, to Fenwick, Burcher...

JPR Williams in the line - the dummy...

Chipping through for Gerald Davies, as Gibson covers.

Gerald Davies has it.

Support from Clive Burgess.

But the move finally dying on that far touchline.

Geoff Squire there, behind Gareth Edwards.

Taken at the front by Graham Price! Will he get to the touchline?

He lost the ball as he was over the line!

What a tragedy for Wales.

WHISTLE BLOWS McKinney doing good spoiling,

and held up on the blind side by Geoff Squire,

who interfered with him and obstructed him,

and quite rightly, that brings a penalty to Ireland, and...

..Mike Gibson, in his 59th international,

now has a crucial kick.

A chance to put Ireland in front - will it carry...?

CHEERING He's got it!

CROWD APPLAUDS AND CHEERS

And the boost that Ireland must have needed,

as we come up towards half-time.

Five minutes of play in this first half remaining,

and Ireland - who would have believed it? -

go into the lead, through the boot of Mike Gibson.

Only 15 metres now from the Wales line.

Allan Martin, good work - the clean catch-and-drive.

WHISTLE BLOWS And Geoff Wheel threw a punch then.

The referee was there on the spot to see it, and Geoff Wheel...

is being spoken to by Norman Sanson, and it would seem - yes,

Geoff Wheel is being sent off.

Geoff Wheel is being sent off by Norman Sanson.

And there is no doubt that he threw a punch in front of the referee.

And what a tragedy in an international...

..to see a great player like Geoff Wheel being sent from the field.

Mike Gibson...

..poised with the chance to increase the Irish lead.

WHISTLING AND JEERING

Mike Gibson, then, from...

about 25 metres.

Straight and true!

And there's no better answer to that kind of incident than that.

But in the confusion that followed Geoff Wheel's sending-off,

the commentary team hadn't noticed that Ireland's Willie Duggan

had also been given his marching orders.

It was a bad decision. I think the referee, Norman Sanson,

panicked a little bit.

It wasn't a dirty game. It was a hard, brutal game,

as they always are against Ireland, but it wasn't dirty.

OK, and in those days, punches were thrown quite often -

it was a very violent game, the first half-hour,

and then it settled down. So, OK, he threw the odd punch,

Geoff Wheel landed a beauty, but a sending-off, for those days,

was too harsh, I think.

OK, he sent one from each side, but it did spoil the game, really,

because, er, Willie Duggan going off for them was a big blow,

because he was a top player.

That's a game when our forwards became stronger and stronger.

The scrum settled down, and we got that good platform.

Bobby Windsor I thought was outstanding in this game -

he led from the front, and he tightened the whole thing up,

brought the game in and give us a bit of good ball.

Once you give the Welsh three-quarter line some good ball,

then you're going to see some special moments.

WHISTLE BLOWS Ireland contesting possession.

CROWD CHEERS

And there seems to be some confusion, because Ireland at the moment,

as you may have noticed in that line-out, are only playing 14 men.

And it's a penalty anyway to Wales.

So, Phil Bennett, then, a chance to reduce...

..the leeway to three points, which he does!

CROWD CHEERS

So, the game again thrown wide open.

Still Wales pinning them down.

McGrath to Gibson.

JPR Williams not taking it cleanly for once.

Running straight into Shay Deering.

Back to Gareth Edwards. Phil Bennett...

Tom Grace covering, but leaving it for Frank Wilson.

Good countering run by the full-back.

Good drive on there by Tom Feighery, the new cap.

But Bobby Windsor breaks away - on to Evans.

Into Mike Gibson, and that was a brave tackle.

Phil Bennett...to David Burcher...

Burcher with JPR Williams outside, and JJ Williams -

but the ball just eluding his grasp.

Allan Martin - but eventually back on the Irish side.

Gibson, McIlrath... Felled then,

but Gibson on the loop, quick to spot the chance.

On to Jimmy Bowen from Frank Wilson.

Good tackling there by Phil Bennett.

And really, that forward battle is a place for brave men only.

McGrath has it.

JPR Williams keeps it in play -

McGrath hounding him.

Gerald Davies - now with a counter-attacking chance!

Gerald Davies with three men outside. The switch move with Burcher...

on to Phil Bennett - Bennett looking for support.

Has it from JJ Williams. Price now, to Burcher.

And Burcher setting it up - and back to Gareth Edwards.

Phil Bennett...

Ireland counter again, and there's a scoring chance here!

Jimmy Bowen taking the feed from young McKibbin.

Five metres outside the Irish 22 - 6-3 Ireland still leading.

McGrath to Gibson.

Little chip over the Welsh backs. Bennett goes back.

JPR Williams in possession,

but the Irish pack driving him and the ball together.

Edwards - and there's a huge space there.

CROWD CHEERS Jimmy Bowen races back,

as Gerald Davies comes in to challenge.

15 metres out, and Allan Martin and Moss Keane contesting at the back.

And the use of the elbow by Moss Keane penalised -

to give Phil Bennett

a relatively simple chance with this penalty kick.

If successful, it would, of course, level the scores.

CHEERS BREAK OUT It's there!

So, two penalties by Phil Bennett,

and two, Mike Gibson,

give that score line.

So, Ireland, for the first time really in this last 10 minutes' play,

on the attack.

And it's a penalty, this time to Ireland,

for Welsh obstruction at the tail of the line.

Two penalties by Gibson already in this match,

and this one, that would put Ireland in front at Cardiff Arms Park.

A magnificent kick!

The ultimate in coolness from Mike Gibson,

with all the pressure on him -

but a kick that has put Ireland back in front.

Jeff Squire jumping at two now for Wales,

with Clive Burgess and Allan Martin at the back.

And it's Squire winning it - back from Burgess...

Edwards' high kick, just outside the Irish 22.

Bobby Windsor working it back.

Good support from Trefor Evans.

Clive Burgess to Edwards - there's an overlap here,

if they can move it fast enough. Fenwick switches it to Bennett.

Bennett with a lovely break!

Bennett's still going! Burcher...

Gerald Davies with the chance...!

CROWD CHEERS

It's certainly brought them back into the lead,

but only one point between the teams.

And we're now in the last quarter of play.

So Wales now putting on the pressure.

Bennett, Burcher... Misses out Fenwick to JPR Williams.

Run through a...gatepost if he could,

but this time he's held up.

But Wales with it again. This is Burcher looking for the gap,

and he's found it! Support coming...

Trefor Evans driving for the line,

but held up only a couple of metres out.

And meanwhile, Frank Wilson,

the Irish full-back, is thrown on the turf.

Gerald Davies there, the try scorer, in attendance.

The line-out...five metres from the Irish line.

And that could be a try... but the referee, no...

..was not happy with the throw-in,

because Windsor had snapped the ball through.

So again, full of incidents, and not all of it of the most pleasant kind.

Injuries and sendings off.

Trefor Evans leaves the field...

..and Phil Bennett in the wars himself, as you can see.

And a huge roar greets the presence of Derek Quinnell.

CROWD CHEERING

Quinnell, who was controversially not included in the Welsh team,

but coming on now for his eighth cap and interestingly,

his last international was as a replacement for Wales

against England back in 1975 when he came on

for Geoff Wheel. Just over ten minutes of proper time left.

Wales hanging on to that one-point lead, but still pressurising...

Bennett's on the field, on to Glyn Shaw.

Shaw a couple of metres out.

Wales wanting the heel, Edwards has it

but held up by McIlrath,

Bennett standing in at the base of the scrum.

The ball worked back by Jeff Squire,

Bobby Windsor standing outside Phil Bennett,

Windsor still driving, almost on the Irish line.

But it's a penalty to Ireland,

Bobby Windsor again spearheading the way to the line.

Again Wales have the advantage of the put-in...

Two metres out and four minutes to go.

Edwards waits as Jeff Squire sets it back to him.

Bennett misses out Burcher to Fenwick...

JPR Williams is through.

He throws the ball aloft in joy.

So, Wales on the threshold of...another win,

remembering, of course, that they've been unbeaten at Cardiff Arms Park

since 1972 when New Zealand won here.

Edwards on to Burcher, to Gerald Davies, held up by Jimmy Bowen.

Allan Martin, Jeff Squire, in fact, on to Clive Burgess...

good support play.

Quinnell's there too but the pass had gone forward.

And Burgess a little unlucky, perhaps Quinnell was obscured from his sight.

And the two new caps, Jeff Squire and Clive Burgess,

certainly acquitting themselves well.

This is McKinney, spoiling that Welsh heel.

But Wales have it again through Fenwick.

Chipped through for JJ Williams as Tom Grace races back.

And that's beautifully judged.

Two minutes into injury time and only ten metres from the Irish line.

16 points to nine, Wales in the lead. This is Quinnell.

Ball tucked under his arm, setting it up as he loves to do.

Back it comes to Fenwick, looks for the drop goal...

CHEERING Off the crossbar and over.

Well, well...

And it's a penalty to Ireland.

Surely they'll run it. McGrath does.

Gibson, McIlrath...

not much room in which to move.

McKinney chips it on. Bennett is there.

On to the JPR Williams, who read that well.

The switch with Gerald Davies.

Davies has support from Jeff Squire.

The pass not going to Price, but set up eventually to Phil Bennett,

to JJ Williams, Fenwick is with him, JJ Williams still going,

over the head of Frank Wilson... Now it's a straight race for the line

and JJ Williams has got there!

CHEERING

But the referee has not allowed the try.

He must have judged that the ball was knocked forward as JJ Williams

dived over, seemingly with the ball in his hand, but he may have

allowed it to be knocked forward as he went for the touchdown.

My word, that was close.

But that was brilliant support move

by forward and back alike in the Welsh ranks.

Four-and-a-half minutes into injury time.

And what an amazing last 20 minutes this has been.

Wales running it again through their captain Phil Bennett.

Gerald Davies one sidestep, two sidesteps,

and support from Clive Burgess.

Is the new cap going to score? He's got it!

CHEERING

And the final whistle for the match goes.

Phil Bennett runs back to collect the ball and I'm sure that will be

stored somewhere, as he slips it up his jumper.

Phil Bennett in his first international as captain.

So, with a combination of pace, power and precision,

Wales scored three second-half tries to seal a comfortable victory.

JJ didn't get on the scoresheet that day - he's convinced he should have.

Over the years, I've often thought about that try. It's a tragedy,

because it was pretty special.

First of all, we were defending, turn of a ball,

and then Fenwick, as usual, set it up to Bennett, who counter-attacked,

a bit of sidestepping and some lovely passes in the midfield.

And then, of course, I went down the left-hand wing.

And I know to this moment I caught the ball and touched it down.

Where were the cameras in those days?!

You know? But it would have been, if it had been awarded,

a real special try for me.

Wales travelled to Paris next

and lost to a French side that would go on to win the Grand Slam.

COMMENTARY: Windsor's there, so's Shaw and Burgess...

but they can't prevent...

Away it comes...

It's coming to Bertrand who's got the wing unmarked outside him.

And he sails in for the second French try...

Then it was back to Cardiff to face England who were terrorised

once more by their nemesis...

COMMENTARY: ..gives it to JPR Williams, is he going to do it again?

And JJ played his part in the final game against Scotland

at Murrayfield, helping Wales to victory

and to a second Triple Crown in what was to become

a run of four in a row,

an unprecedented quadruple Triple Crown.

To win four Triple Crowns on the bounce with two Grand Slams

was special, because we were under enormous pressure.

Everybody wanted to beat Wales, and I suppose

if it had been the World Cup, France would have been right up there,

New Zealand, obviously, and Wales.

We were in the top three in the world,

so whenever anybody came and they were playing Wales,

that's where they would look at the highlight of the season,

and whatever side it was, the Welsh game was the big game for everybody.

We were under enormous pressure, but we managed to get through

and play with some panache, which makes it all so special.

Not just winning the games,

the way we won the games in such style, I feel.

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