To find the answer you have to first guess the game – the Swalec Cup Final between Cardiff and Swansea – and then remember who was running around the home of Welsh rugby for the Blue & Blacks and All Whites on Saturday, 26 April, 1997.
The smart money would go on Nigel Walker, Rob Howley, Mike Hall or Hemi Taylor for Cardiff, or Scott Gibbs, Aled Williams, Stuart Davies or Mark Taylor for Swansea. There were tries for Walker, Hall and Taylor in what turned out to be a classic cup final, but the ultimate honour, and place in Welsh rugby history, went to Swansea lock Steve Moore.
Cardiff’s Derwyn Jones charges through the line-out in an attempt to claim possession
THE 1997 SWALEC CUP FINAL – CARDIFF 33 – 26 SWANSEA
Swansea dominated the opening quarter with Aled Williams running the show. They picked up a penalty try and another score from Mark Taylor, both of which the Whites outside half converted.
All Cardiff could muster were three penalties from Lee Jarvis to just about stay in touch at the break in wet and miserable conditions. Whatever the Cardiff coach Terry Homes said to his players at the break it certainly had a good effect because within two minutes of the re-start they had conjured up one of the all-time great tries at the historic venue.
It began rather tentatively with Jarvis and No 8 Owain Williams near their 22, but once it got into the arms of the former Olympic hurdler Nigel Walker it was a different story. Pace, power, determination and no little amount of skill took the Wales wing up the left touchline.
There were about four occasions on his high speed race over 60 metres that he could, and perhaps should, have been stopped, but he somehow managed to keep his balance like a tightrope walker and stay in field. One final lung from Swansea No 8 Stuart Davies almost did for him, but he once again kept his balance before crossing for the try of the match to level the scores.
Where Walker led, full back Justin Thomas and centre Mike Hall followed as a titanic tussle reached the hour mark. Having been five points down at half-time, 20 minutes later the Blue & Blacks found themselves sitting on a 19 point lead thanks to three converted tries and a four Jarvis penalty to take his personal tally to 18 points.
It seemed to be all over bar the shouting, but Swansea were in no mood to capitulate. Taylor grabbed a second try and then the Wales lock Steve Moore had the honour of scoring the final try at Cardiff Arms Park before the bulldozers came in the next day.
Cardiff: Justin Thomas; Nigel Walker, Mike Hall, Leigh Davies, Simon Hill; Lee Jarvis, Rob Howley; Andrew Lewis, Jonathan Humphreys, Lyndon Mustoe, Keith Stewart, Derwyn Jones, Hemi Taylor (captain), Gwyn Jones, Owain Williams
Reps: Jonathan Davies, Jason Hewlett, Jamie Ringer, John Wakeford, David Young, Paul Young
Scorers: Tries: N Walker, J Thomas, M Hall; Cons: L Jarvis 3; Pens: L Jarvis 4
Swansea: Matthew Back; Alan Harris, Mark Taylor, Scott Gibbs, Simon Davies; Aled Williams, Andy Booth; Ian Buckett, Garin Jenkins (captain), Stuart Evans, Steve Moore, Paul Arnold, Alun Reynolds, Rob Appleyard, Stuart Davies
Reps: Luc Evans, Robbie Jones, Lee Davies, Danzi Niblo, Keith Colclough, Euros Evans
Scorers: Tries: M Taylor 2, S Moore, Pen Try; Cons: A Williams 3
Referee: David Davies (Llanbradach)
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
The day after the Cup Final the WRU held an auction at the ground to sell off seats, turf and other items that were otherwise going to be thrown out to clear the way for the new Millennium Stadium.
Giovanni Malacrino
The well know Cardiff restaurateur, Giovanni Malacrino, bought 3,000 sq feet of turf for his back garden, while other collectors enthusiastically purchased the giant clock that used to let fans know how long to go, the goal posts and other dressing room items.
The WRU were attempting to raise up to £200,000 to kick-start their new build programme.
It really was going, going . . . gone!
