Llanelli won 3-0 to launch an incredible record against touring teams that reached its high point with the 1972 win over the All Blacks on the famous day “the pubs ran dry” after the Carwyn James inspired home side triumphed 9-3. That was a game that was also played on 31 October!
Parc Y Scarlets will become the third venue in Llanelli to host international rugby when it welcomes Scotland and Georgia. Stradey Park was due to became the fourth ground – Swansea 1882, Cardiff and Newport 1884 – in Wales to stage an international match when England were the visitors in 1887.
The state of the rugby pitch meant the game had to be switched to the nearby cricket ground. Stradey Park then hosted the Irish in 1891 and 1893. The latter of those two games saw Wales, led by the great Arthur Gould, win the Triple Crown for the first time.
Scotland and Georgia’s recent visits to Parc y Scarlets – for the final match of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations, and the second round of the Autumn Nations Cup respectively – make this the 133rd year since England’s visit.
When Wales host England in the penultimate round of the Autumn Nations Cup on Saturday 28th November, it will be the eighth Test match played in the town.
The last time Wales played a Five or Six Nations match in Wales outside Cardiff was in 1954. That game 66 years ago was also against the Scots. Wales won 15-3 at St Helen’s, Swansea, to clinch the Five Nations title for the third time in five years. Ken Jones, the great Newport wing, was given the captaincy on the day he equalled Dickie Owen’s record 35 caps.
WELSH INTERNATIONALS IN LLANELLI
Wales 0 – 0 England
Date: 8 January, 1887
Venue: Llanelli Cricket Ground
Competition: Home Nations
Att: 8,000
The game was scheduled to be played at Stradey Park, but the ground was frozen and the English players refused to play on it. The game was moved to the adjacent cricket pitch and fans had to stand around the touchlines to watch – even those who had purchased seat for the temporary stands erected for the first international match to be played in Llanelli. When one of the cross bars on the re-appointed posts fell down, Arthur Gould climbed up to replace it. Nicknamed ‘Monkey’ by his brothers for his tree-climbing ability as a youngster, he went on to become the first Welsh rugby superstar. This was the last game in a Welsh shirt for Charles Newman, who had played in the first game against England in 1881.
Wales: Harry Bowen, Billy Douglas, Arthur Gould, Charles Taylor, Charlie Newman (captain), Jem Evans; Edward Alexander, Thomas Lockwood, Albert Hybart, Bob Gould, Alec Bland, Tom Clapp, David Morgans, William Bowen, Willie Thomas
England: Sam Roberts, John le Fleming, Rawson Robertshaw, Dicky Lockwood, Fred Bonsor, Alan Rotherham (captain); John Hickson, Bob Seddon, George Jeffery, Hiatt Baker, William Clibbon, Edgar Wilkinson, Norman Spurling, John Dewhurst, Charles Cleveland
Referee: G Rowland Hill (England)
Wales 6 – 4 Ireland
Date: 7 March, 1891
Venue: Stradey Park
Competition: Home Nations
Att: 10,000
Wales: Billy Bancroft; Percy Lloyd, Dickie Garrett, Charlie Thomas, Tom Pearson; Evan James, David James; John Samuel, Charles Nicholl, Tom Graham, Tom Deacon, David Samuel, Rowley Thomas, Stephen Thomas, Willie Thomas (captain)
Scorers: Try: D Samuel: Con: W Bancroft: DG: W Bancroft
Ireland: Dolway Walkington; Rob Dunlop, Sam Lee, Herbert Wells; Edwin Cameron, Robert Pedlow; Tom Fogarty, Rob Stokes, Frank Stoker, Joe Jameson, Rob Stevenson (captain), James Roche, Charles Rooke, Llewellyn Nash, William Davis
Scorer: Try: S Lee; DG: D Walkington
Referee: A Rowsell (England)
Wales 2 – 0 Ireland
Date: 11 March, 1893
Venue: Stradey Park
Competition: Home Nations
Att: 20,000
One of the most significant and famous days in Welsh rugby history, with this win Wales own the Triple Crown and the Home Nations title for the first time. A try by Bert Gould, partnering his brother Arthur in the centre, scored the only points of the game with a try. Wales triumphed using the four three-quarter system, a move that was copied by the rest of the world in the not too distant future.
Wales: Billy Bancroft; Norman Biggs, Arthur Gould (captain), Bert Gould, Billy McCutcheon; Percy Phillips, Fred Parfitt; Frank Mills, Charles Nicholl, Tom Graham, Frank Hill, Jim Hannan, David Samuel, Arthur Boucher, Wallace Watts
Scorer: Try: GH Gould
Ireland: William Sparrow; Rob Dunlop, Sam Lee (captain), William Gardiner; Walter Brown, Fred Davies; Bryan O’Brien, Rob Johnston, Herbert Forrest, Arthur Wallis, Harry Lindsay, Rob Hamilton, Coo Clinch, Rob Stevenson, Charles Rooke
Referee: WH Humphreys (England)
Wales 23 – 20 Italy
Date: 7 February, 1998
Venue: Stradey Park
Competition: Friendly
Att: 13,800
This was the first international match played in Llanelli for 105 years and it was also the final Test appearance for one of the town’s favourite sons, Ieuan Evans. Returning to his old stamping ground of Stradey Park he made his record 72nd appearance for his country – and made his one and only appearance for Wales as a Bath player. There was no try to add to his record 33 to round off his incredible Test career. Instead, Welsh fans saw a superb try from fellow wing Gareth Thomas. Rob Howley became the 112th Welsh captain as he took over from the injured Gwyn Jones.
Wales: Neil Jenkins; Ieuan Evans, Allan Bateman, Scott Gibbs, Gareth Thomas; Arwel Thomas, Rob Howley (captain); Andrew Lewis, Barry Williams (Jon Humphreys 69), Dai Young, Gareth Llewellyn, Mike Voyle, Rob Appleyard, Martyn Williams (Colin Charvis 69), Scott Quinnell
Reps Unused: Kevin Morgan, Leigh Davies, Paul John, Nathan Thomas, Lyndon Mustoe
Scorers: G Thomas, Pen Try: Cons: N Jenkins 2; Pens: N Jenkins 3
Italy: Corrado Pilat; Paolo Vaccari, Cristian Stoica, Luca Martin, Marcello Cuttitta; Diego Dominguez, Alessandro Troncon; Massimo Cuttitta, Carlo Orlandi, Andrea Castellani, Giambattista Croci, Walter Cristofoletto, Massimo Giovanelli (captain), Julian Gardner, Andrea Sgorlon
Reps: Manuel Dallan, Andrea Scanavacca, Gianluca Guidi, Orazio Arancio, Simone Stocco, Andrea Moretti, Giampiero de Carli
Scorers: Tries: A Sgorlon, C Stoica; Cons: D Dominguez 2; Pens: D Dominguez 2
Referee: Steve Lander (England)
Wales 43 – 30 Argentina
Date: 21 November, 1998
Venue: Stradey Park
Competition: Friendly
Att: 10,500
Neil Jenkins helped himself to 23 points as he kicked the Pumas into submission. Wales led 26-6 after 25 minutes and looked to be on course for a rout, yet by half time there was only a point in it. Colin Charvis scored two of the four home tries, but the Pumas crossed for four of their own.
Wales: Shane Howarth; Gareth Thomas, Mark Taylor, Scott Gibbs, Dafydd James; Neil Jenkins, Rob Howley (captain); Andrew Lewis, Jon Humphreys, Chris Anthony, Craig Quinnell, Chris Wyatt, Colin Charvis, Martyn Williams (Barry Williams 73), Scott Quinnell (Mike Voyle 44)
Rep Unused: Mike Rayer, Neil Boobyer, David Llewellyn, Darren Morris, Ben Evans
Scorers: Tries: C Charvis 2, D James, M Taylor: Cons: N Jenkins 4; Pens: N Jenkins 5
Argentina: Manuel Contepomi; Ignacio Corleto, Jose Orengo (Eduardo Simone 65), Lisandro Arbizu, Facundo Soler (Diego Albanese 70); Felipe Contepomi, Agustin Pichot; Mauricio Reggiardo (Mario Ledesma 70), Federico Mendez, Omar Hasan, Alejandro Allub, Pedro Sporleder (captain), Martin Durand (Rolando Martin 60), Miguel Ruiz, Pablo Camerlinckx
Reps Unused: Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, Martin Scelzo
Scorers: Tries: A Pichot, F Contepomi, P Sporleder, Pen Try; Cons: F Contepomi 2; Pens: F Contepomi 2
Referee: Allan Lewis (Ireland)
Stradey Park also played host to Rugby World Cup matches in 1991 and 1999. In fact, it was the first venue in Wales to host a World Cup game when Australia launched their march to the title with a 32-19 win over Argentina in Llanelli on 4 October, 1991.
The Pumas were back again on 10 October, 199, when they beat Samoa 32-16 in a pool match in the tournament hosted by Wales.
