Llanelli RFC 9–3 New Zealand explained

Llanelli 9–3 New Zealand
Team1:Llanelli
Team1score:9
Team2:New Zealand
Team2association:
Team2score:3
Date:31 October 1972
Stadium:Stradey Park
City:Llanelli
Referee:Mike Titcomb (England)
Attendance:22,000

As part of their 1972–73 tour of the Northern Hemisphere, the New Zealand national rugby union team's fourth match saw them take on Llanelli RFC of Wales at Stradey Park, Llanelli, on 31 October 1972. In one of the most famous results in rugby union history, Llanelli won the match 9–3 in front of 20,000 spectators. Llanelli centre Roy Bergiers scored the only try of the game, charging down a clearance by All Blacks scrum-half Lin Colling after a penalty from Phil Bennett rebounded back into play off the crossbar. New Zealand full-back Joe Karam scored a penalty to give them their only points of the game, before Llanelli wing Andy Hill hit a penalty to secure victory for the Scarlets.[1] The result was immortalised by Welsh entertainer Max Boyce, whose poem 9–3 appears as the opening track on his Live at Treorchy album.[2]

Background

As part of their 1972–73 tour of the Northern Hemisphere, the New Zealand national rugby union team played 32 matches, of which their visit to Stradey Park to play Llanelli RFC was the fourth. In North America, they had already beaten sides representing British Columbia (31–3) on 19 October 1972 and New York Metropolitan (41–9) on 21 October, followed by a 39–12 win over a Western Counties side in Gloucester on their arrival in England a week later. They were unbeaten since the British Lions had visited New Zealand in July 1971, a run of 16 matches without defeat.

Match details

FB 15Roger Davies
RW 14J. J. Williams
OC 13Roy Bergiers
IC 12Ray Gravell
LW 11Andy Hill
FH 10Phil Bennett
SH 9 Chico Hopkins
N8 8 Hefin Jenkins
OF 7 Gareth Jenkins
BF 6 Tommy David
RL 5 Derek Quinnell
LL 4 Delme Thomas (c)
TP 3 Barry Llewelyn
HK 2 Roy Thomas
LP 1 Tony Crocker
Replacements:
SH 16Selwyn Williams
FL 17Alan James
PR 18Chris Charles
LK 19Brian Llewellyn
FH 20Gwyn Ashby
HK 21Meirion Davies
Coach:
Carwyn James
FB 15Joe Karam
RW 14
OC 13Bruce Robertson
IC 12Mark Sayers
LW 11Duncan Hales
FH 10Bob Burgess
SH 9 Lin Colling
N8 8 Alan Sutherland
OF 7 Ian Kirkpatrick (c)
BF 6 Alistair Scown
RL 5 Peter Whiting
LL 4 Andy Haden
TP 3 Graham Whiting
HK 2 Ron Urlich
LP 1 Keith Murdoch
Replacements:
WG 16
Coach:
Bob Duff

Touch judges:
J Kelleher (Wales)
D G Watts (Wales)

Notes and References

  1. News: Bruce . Pope . Day the pubs ran dry . BBC Sport . 31 October 2002 . 2 November 2019 .
  2. News: Simon . Thomas . The day the All Blacks were humbled at Stradey . WalesOnline . Media Wales . 24 October 2008 . 2 November 2019 .