Part of the crowd in Swansea for the Wales v France rugby league Test in 1975
British Rugby League administrators were delighted with the response from the locals when a Tri-Nations match between the Welsh and French Test sides was taken to Swansea in South Wales, where rugby union is king.
To say officials were caught by surprise is an under-statment. Too few turnstiles were open and congestion outside forced them to throw open the gates 15 minutes after kick-off. About 3,000 people swamped in for free, swelling the attendance to a near capacity 25,000, with about 500 supporters from the North of England travelling to the game.
“Their singing and cheering reverberated around the city, and the Welsh team responded magnificently with a thrilling 21-8 win, with favourite son, John Bevan (Warrington) scoring two tries,” wrote Paul Rylance from the Daily Telegraph.
Bevan had played rugby union for Wales from the Cardiff Club, and had toured New Zealand and Australia with the British Lions, before signing for Warrington, when the Cheshire club offered him a teaching post, along with a lucrative sign-on fee. Bevan loved his time in the 13-man code, and in a recent interview said he was born to play the game.
“I was a rugby league player growing up in Wales, even though I didn’t know it at the time,” Bevan said. “The people in the north (of England) are really Welsh people with funny accents.”
Referee, Fred Lindop from Wakefield in England, allowed play to flow, and the Swansea crowd enjoyed what they saw from the 13-man game. Besides Bevan the other try scorers for Wales were Roy Mathias (St Helens) and Jim Mills (Widnes), while Kel Coslett (St Helens) kicked four goals and skipper, David Watkins kicked a field goal.
France led 3-2 at halftime thanks to a try by Michel Molinier from St Gaudens. Their only points in the second half came from two penalty goals by Victor Serrano (St Gaudens) and a field goal by another St Gaudens’ player, Jacki Imbert.
Nine days later Wales and England met in Salford, with the winner to claim the Tri-Nations crown. England had beaten France 11-9 on a warm January day in Perpignan, and were anything but convincing. In fact it took a towering goal from the touchline by England hooker, John Gray from Wigan to give England victory.
It was another tight game in Salford, with England winning 12-8, after leading 10-3 at halftime.
The Welsh were unlucky, especially as towering prop, Mills was sent off by Leigh referee, Stan Wall in the 60th minute for a late shot. Jim famously told the referee he got their as quickly as he could.
England’s try scorers were Derek Noonan (Warrington) and John Atkinson (Leeds), while Watkins scored Wales’ only try. Other points from the Welsh came from a goal and field goal by Watkins, and one goal from Coslett.
So England finished undefeated, and therefore claimed the Jean Galia Trophy.
Footnote: My 1990 Kangaroos’ supporters tour attended a rugby union match in Swansea between the locals and Newbridge. We were treated magnificently at the post match function.
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