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Produced by Ellis Rugby, Vintage Wales Rugby Union Shirt is the finest shirt. Rugby Union began in Wales in 1850. It began when Reverend Rowland Williams became Vice-Principal at St David’s College, Lampeter, where he introduced the sport. Neath formed in 1871 was the first Welsh club. Wales played their inaugural international match on 19 February 1881 against England and it was organised by Newport’s Richard Mullock.
The Wales Rugby Union team experienced their first ‘golden age’ between 1900 and 1911. And won 11 consecutive matches, a record that stood for over a century. They also defeated New Zealand by 3 points to nil at Cardiff Arms Park in 1905.
In 1893 the Welsh team won the Home Nations Championship for the first time. But it wasn’t for another seven years before the won again in 1900. This kick-started one of Wales’s most ever successful periods. They won two more Triple Crowns in 1902 and 1905, and were runners-up in 1901, 1903 and 1904.
When the New Zealand Rugby Union team “All Blacks” visited the Welsh capital in late 1905. They met a formidable rugby team who had not lost on their home ground since 1899. The visitors were unbeaten in all their previous internationals against the home nations Ireland, Scotland and England. On the day of the match the atmosphere was electric and as custom the New Zealand team performed a haka. In response the 47,000-strong crowd responded with the Welsh national anthem – Hen WladFyNhadau (“Land of My Fathers”). This was the first time a national anthem had been sung before a sporting fixture. And it is a regular feature at modern day games.
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The game was a really tight affair. Wales wing Teddy Morgan scored a try to give Wales a 3–0 lead, but somewhat controversially, the referee disallowed a try New Zealand’s Bob Deans claimed to have scored. The game finished 3-0 and the loss was New Zealand’s only defeat on their 35-match tour.
The second ‘golden age’ of Welsh Rugby was in the 1970s. The nation had a wealth of talent which included world-class players such as Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Mervyn Davies, Gerald Davies and J. P. R. Williams. As a result the Welsh team dominated the Five Nations rugby tournament between 1969 and 1979, and managed an incredible winning record, losing only seven times during that period.
In 1971, Wales recorded their first Five Nations Grand Slam since 1952. Their most notable win was their victory over Scotland. After a last-minute try by Gerald Davies flanker John Taylor kicked a conversion from the sideline to give Wales the win 19–18.
The 1972 Championship remained unresolved due to the troubles in Ireland and the refusal of both Wales and Scotland to travel. Both Wales and Ireland remained unbeaten.
Wales did however win the Five Nations in 1975. In 1976 Wales won their second Grand Slam of the decade and they repeated the feat in 1978 and, in the process, became the first team to win three consecutive Triple Crowns. It was perhaps a fitting time, but both half-backs Phil Bennett and Gareth Edwards retired from rugby at the end of the championships.
