Wales took the Triple Crown for the thirteenth time when they defeated Ireland in 1976 at Lansdowne Road. In the hard-fought match the half-time scoreline rested at 10-9, with Gerald Davies having scored the only try. Phil Bennett kicked Wales to 16-9 and then came three tries in a five-minute spell.
Davies started it with his second try and scrum half Gareth Edwards burst over for a record-breaking eighteenth try for Wales – equalling Teddy Morgan’s effort of attaining a try in five successive matches. The best was left until almost the last as Wales were now in full flow and none better than the brilliant half back partnership of Bennett and Edwards, served ably by captain Mervyn Davies and his pack.
It was ‘Benny’ who produced a classic try in the right hand corner to resemble the one he had scored for the Lions in the third test of their 1974 unbeaten tour to South Africa.
Centre Ray Gravell charged at the defence, back came the ball and Bennett, in his best hopping-style, went over for a splendid score. He followed with a superb touchline conversion that gave him 19 points in the match to equal those scored by Jack Bancroft and Keith Jarrett.
Skipper Mervyn Davies became the most-capped Wales forward, winning his 37th to surpass Denzil Williams of Ebbw Vale.
