We began the series with 'I was there', seeing extraordinary games among Wales and their fall rivals, yet as a slight wind we have a 'My Dad was there' perspective on the incredible 1953 conflict among Wales vs All Blacks rugby.
As brought up by rugby antiquarian Howard Evans in the initial piece in our new series, the Welsh triumph over New Zealand in the year that the Queen went onto the lofty position was our last. Truth be told HRH Elizabeth II was a simple a half year into her rule on 19 December, 1953, Sir Winston Churchill was Prime Minister, Frankie Laine was beginning a three-week run at No 1 in the music outlines with 'Respond to Me' and a 16 ounces of brew was a simple 6p.
The main family connect back to that day is given by the flow Scarlets chief, Sean Fitzpatrick. The amazing New Zealand skipper continued in the strides of his dad, Brian, in wearing the All Blacks shirt. An inside focus, or second five eighth in Kiwi speech, he made his global presentation against Wales. His day didn't work out as he needed, yet his child guaranteed there was a lot of retribution by dominating every one of the six matches against Wales in his heavenly 92-cap profession.
"I generally say, somewhat flippant, that father never needed to return after that game in 1953. He was a pleased man, and exceptionally glad to be an All Black, so he didn't discuss it that much. What he discussed was the No 525 – that was his number as an All Black.
"He turned out to be excellent companions with Cliff Morgan, who he played against that day, and for quite a long time Cliff attempted to get him to return to Cardiff for the yearly gathering of the Cardiff group that likewise beat New Zealand on that visit.
"In any case, father would say to me. 'No wicked way child, I'm never returning to that bleeding place'. Also, he won't ever do. Indeed, even in 1989, when we visited here, my mum needed to pass without anyone else on the grounds that father wouldn't return to Wales.
"He would turn in his grave on the off chance that he realized I had joined a Welsh district – particularly one that had beaten the All Blacks! I as of late cycled around 53 clubs in the Scarlets district on a foundation ride and, obviously, 1953 was the year the All Blacks last lost to Wales. I wonder it that may very well be a sign!"
The main enduring individual from the 1953 All Blacks group that went down 13-8 is back column man Bill McCaw. A far off relative of the incredible twofold World Cup winning chief, Richie McCaw, he turned 94 on 26 August this year.
Playing against him was a future British and Irish Lion and Wales skipper, Clem Thomas. It was a game wherein he assumed a key part, at this point the Swansea hard-man nearly missed the greatest round of his life. His story was told by his oldest child, Chris, in a book he expounded on his dad, 'Clem'.
"Father had been associated with a deadly fender bender on the day preceding the game. He actually needed to play, everybody needed him to play . . . but the Welsh selectors. They felt he may in any case be experiencing shock. One man talked and convinced the hesitant Welsh selectors round – Bill Ramsay, the financial officer of the Rugby Football Union," Chris wrote in the book.
The group, one can't resist the urge to think, would have been happy with a draw, yet not really the Welsh group. From now into the foreseeable future they out-surged their rivals regardless of whether they got the ball. It was the covering of Elsom which offered R. C. C. Thomas his incredible possibility. Get-together the ball on the left touchline, he had a brief glance about him and saw that across the field spread a vast area involved by Ken Jones. Thomas set his long kick across field well and it ricocheted pleasantly for Jones, whose speed and turn effortlessly beat his main adversary, Scott. Rowlands committed no error with the kick and, for the last five leftover minutes, New Zealand were excessively stunned by the two blows which had abruptly come upon them to strike back in power.
Bleddyn Williams had confronted the Al Blacks multiple times on the 1950 British and Irish Lions visit and drove Cardiff to their popular triumph over the 1953 vacationers. He then, at that point, played in the global against them also.
"Club groups by and large improved against visiting groups than Wales. That was on the grounds that players knew one another while global matches outside the Five Nations were rare. A visiting side enjoyed a particular benefit due to the time they had spent together yet we were playing before 50,000-in number Welsh group," he told Paul Rees of The Guardian Wales vs All Blacks Rugby tv.
"I can't say I was astonished that we won, simply the manner in which we did: we were following 8-5 as of now, when the unrivaled wellness of the All Blacks ought to have told, and our wing Gareth Griffiths was playing with a separated shoulder, while I had torn tendons at the highest point of my thigh (he didn't play for a very long time after the game).
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