The second tour was in March, 1891. Cardiff, still not a city nor the Welsh capital, hosted the first fixture at the Arms Park. The home side had an exhausting fixture list at the Easter period, playing three home games in the space of four days. They lost to Blackheath on Easter Saturday, 28 March, beat New Brighton on Easter Monday and then made history by becoming the first team to beat the Baa-Baas a day later.
One Cardiff player, Ralph Sweet-Escott, had played in the inaugural Barbarians fixtures in Hartlepool and Bradford earlier in the season and David Evans was also on that first tour. The granting of a fixture to Cardiff, according to the Barbarian FC “represented the growing power of Welsh rugby”. It was the first of a long and unbroken series, except for the War Years, from 1891 to 1996. For a while there were even games against the Blue & Blacks on Christmas and Easter tours of South Wales.
THE FIRST MEETING
This is how the South Wales Evening Express reported that famous first fixture. It ended in a home victory. Over the 105 years of matches between the two clubs there were 114 matches, with the home side winning 70 of them and drawing a further six times.
YESTERDAY’S FOOTBALL
BARBARIANS v CARDIFFThe recently-constituted Barbarians Club, which is practically the MCC of the football world, opened their second tour at Cardiff on Tuesday when they were opposed to a representative team of the sturdy Welsh Metropolitans. Thanks to the summer – like character of the weather – more reminiscent of the less exhausting sister pastime – the turf was in excellent condition.
The teams faced each other as below:The Barbarians: E. Emly, back; A. E. Stoddart, R. L. Aston, P. Christopherson, and C A. Hooper, three-quarter backs; A. Rogers and H. Marshall, half backs; C. B. Nicholl, A. Allport. W. P. Carpmael, C.J Vernon, W. H. Manfield, P. Maud, P. Coles and T Whittaker, forwards
Cardiff: D. Fitzgerald, back; T. W. Pearson, C. S. Arthur, F. N. Jones, S. Sweet-Escott, three-quarter backs; H. M. Ingledew, R. B. Sweet-Escott, half backs; D. W. Evans, S. H. Nicholls, J. Mahoney, R. T. Duncan, J. Smith, J.V. Arman, A. Lewis, H. J. Taylor, forwardsCardiff, for the third time in succession, had the worst of the toss, and were compelled to face a blinding sun. In spite of this, thanks to a big punt by Fred Jones in response to Christopherson’s reply to the kick-off, Cardiff got up almost to the visitors’ lines. Sweet-Escott followed this advantage up by landing into touch, but soon afterwards the Barbarians were allowed a “free”, Rogers being illegally tackled. The amalgamated players soon relieved their position, and Fitzgerald narrowly escaped being tackled before he could get in his kick.
Arthur and Fred Jones dribbled out of danger, and Pearson followed up with a short sprint and kick into touch. Again did the visitors cross the centre line, and Fitzgerald was called upon to use his foot once more, this time smartly eluding his opponents and finding touch at half-way. Initiating some brilliant passing, Rogers, Christopherson and Aston travelled into dangerous proximity to Cardiff goal, Aston being brought low by S. Sweet-Escott when within a dozen paces of crossing. The home forwards, playing with good combination, changed the venue to the Barbarians’ 25, and there Arthur was given a pass by Ingledew, and dodging in the old familiar style seemed within an ace of scoring, when his progress was impelled by Emly. Arthur promptly handed to Escott, but Christopherson stopped him effectively. The visitors’ scrummagers now fairly rushed the homesters off their legs, and before one could “wink the other eye”, the game was transferred to the Cardiff 25. Pearson and Fitzgerald splendidly relieved on several occasions, but dazzled by the sun they were unable to pass with the accuracy characteristic of their play, and as a result the visitors pressed them sorely. From a scrummage held midway between the 25 flag and the Cardiff goal-line, Duckworth got possession and, dodging Jones, passed to Christopherson, who threw to Carpmael, who in turn gave up to Marshall, so enabling the latter to score between the uprights. The shot at goal struck the bar and rebounded over the line, the point being deservedly applauded by the crowd, who had frequently up to this manifested their disapproval of the conduct of the referee, though for no apparent reason. After the re-starting the home pack had, for a couple of minutes, the better of the play, and a few somewhat erratic passes between the backs caused the visitors to act on the defensive, Arthur and Sweet-Escott all but getting over. The superior weight of the Barbarians up front soon made itself manifest, and Carpmael, Nicholl, and A. N. Other leading a dribble across the equatorial line, the ball was given air, and fell in Christopherson’s way, he being nicely blocked by Arthur. D. W. Evans then received a nasty blow, and was forced to retire. Loose play succeeded, altogether in favour of the visitors, Fitzgerald being collared a few yards from his charge, and no fewer than five scrimmages taking place within the same number of yards from the line. Allport got through the last scrum, but an injudicious kick sent the leather into the hands of the home custodian, whose plucky play was rewarded with a round of cheers. Then, with play a couple of yards from the line, half-time was announced, the score being
BARBARIANS 1 goal CARDIFF nil
After the interval, “D.W.” made his re-appearance, and his team, now with the sun at their backs—an important factor, as the subsequent play plainly showed—rushed along in fine style, and, aided by the now entirely different passes, Cardiff pressed for fully five minutes. The Barbarians forwards, by sheer strength, removed to the centre. Then, at a point in front of the grand stand and on the far side of the half- way line, D. W. Evans got possession, and putting in a truly magnificent drop succeeded in sending the leather clearly behind the uprights, his feat fully meriting the vociferous applause accorded to it. One point behind only the Cardiffians threw their hearts into their work, and the passing of the three quarters was a treat to behold, Arthur and Fred Jones being in “model” centre form, and Pearson playing a champion game on the wing. Time after time was the ball taken to within a dozen or so yards of the line. Sweet Escott and lngledew entirely outshadowing their opponents, but accident or a timely save by Emly still kept them out. The pressure, however, could not be resisted for long, and Ingledew, getting hold of the ball, bamboozled a bunch of the forwards, and then transferred to Arthur, who, after eluding Aston, passed to F. N. Jones, who fairly puzzled Christopherson, and crossed the line, closely attended by S. Sweet-Escott, amid frantic cheers. Pearson succeeded in negotiating. No relief was afforded by the kick-off, and the Barbarians were again forced to exert their utmost defence to avert the threatening danger. D. W. Evans, Nicholls, Mahoney and Arman were now contributing good work in the loose for Cardiff, and a pass from Mahoney to Arthur gave him an opportunity of kicking into touch half a score of yards from the line. On the throw out the home forwards got the ball before their toes, and thus Lewis forged his way ahead, and with half a dozen men on top of him made Cardiff’s second try, which Pearson failed to convert, this not being surprising, as the point was scored near the corner flag. With a drop goal and a try to the good, Cardiff continued to press until a silly pass by Ingledew gave Hooper a chance to handle the ball, the result being that play was shifted to the Cardiff 25. A fine display on the part of Fitzgerald was then seen, he putting in a punt covering two-thirds the length of the enclosure. Soon afterwards Mahoney and Morgan were very much in evidence, and Pearson being given the ball by R. Sweet-Escott, with a long punt exacted a minor – almost a try, as Emly only just managed to prevent Lewis fetching him down and wresting the ball from his possession. With the exception of one transitory visit to the home territory – Fitzgerald, although pressed by Christopherson, sending them back – the Barbarians were pressed Another try was lost co Cardiff through decidedly bad play on the part of Ingledew, who, after a series of brilliant passes, was given the ball when within a few yards of the line, fumbled with it while several of his colleagues were at hand, a minor only resulting. From this stage until the call of time the Barbarians more than held their own, and when the whistle sounded the ball was in touch in the home 25. No better contested game has been witnessed at the Cardiff Arms Park, and the visitors at the conclusion were justly given a hearty and spontaneous round of applause.
FINAL SCORE: Cardiff 2 goals (1 dropped), 1 try, 2 minors Barbarians 1 goaI.
Cardiff thus won by 9 points to 4.
