The year 1893 saw the birth of Ivor Novello and Saunders Lewis: two men who would go on to achieve great things in their respective fields. It was also the year that Wales won their first Home Nations Championship.
A week ago, we highlighted a letter written to the Wales squad ahead of their 1892 Home Nations match against England. The Red Rose won the bragging rights in that fixture, but Wales came roaring back a year later to clinch their first ever Triple Crown. They avenged their ’92 defeat in Blackheath with a 12-11 victory in Cardiff, before going on to defeat Scotland (9-0) and Ireland (2-0).
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The players’ reward? A marvellous gold medal and watch, luxurious even by today’s standards. An article by the BBC in 2013 illustrates the rarity of these artefacts.
The only other publicly-known medal (pictured, alongside the watch) can be found above the WRU Store on Westgate Street, for all rugby supporters and memorabilia aficionados to enjoy.
