This match at the Arms Park saw Scotland centre and Captain Archie Gracie, of the Harlequins club, received the biggest reception by a Cardiff crowd to a visiting player after his brilliant run, two minutes from time, won the match for his side.
Gracie was the best player on the field and, though he was injured stopping a foot-rush, he was twice tackled short of the line before racing almost to the dead ball line to score for Scotland’s first win at Cardiff since 1890. A small boy sitting nearby lost some teeth as Gracie’s foot struck him accidentally in the mouth; reportedly, the boy also came from Scotland!
When Gracie was carried shoulder high from the pitch, he said: “It was the most wonderful crowd I have ever seen in the whole world. Whoever did a good thing in the match was applauded, no matter which side he belonged to.”
The renowned journalist, Colonel Trevor, said: “Let us hope that the great performance of the Cardiff crowd will be appraised as well.”
The gates were closed before the match with more than 40,000 spectators already inside the Arms Park. Record receipts for a match in Wales of over £5,800 were taken and police had to hold back those who rushed the gates.
One of Scotland’s tries was scored by Olympic 400 metres gold medalist Eric (‘Chariots of fire’) Liddell, who was to set a world record when winning in Paris in 1924. He became a missionary and died, aged 43, in a Japanese internment camp, in China.
The Welsh try was scored by centre Clem Lewis, who had been a lieutenant in the First World War. He won Cambridge Blues in 1913 and 1919 and played 229 times for Cardiff from 1909-24. The goals were kicked by Albert Jenkins, a genius in a Llanelli jersey, who scored 121 tries for his club, but who made only 14 appearances for Wales in nine seasons.
