WORLD RUGBY MUSEUM

THE GREATEST MATCH COLLECTION

WALES v NEW ZEALAND 1905

16th December - WALES 3 - NEW ZEALAND 0 (Cardiff Arms Park)

In the year 1905, the New Zealand 'colonial' team were the greatest team ever to visit the British Isles, they were 'The Originals'. Before arriving in Wales they were undefeated, having played 27 matches on tour, scored 801 points with just 32 points scored against. under their captain Gallaher, the team were dominant, earlier that year, they had beaten Australia 14-3, then on the tour Scotland 12-7, Ireland 15–0 and England 15–0 . Wales were unbeaten too, thrashing England 25-0, beating Scotland 6-3 and Ireland 10-3. So the scene was set, Triple Crown Wales against the all conquering All Blacks, a name they had earned on the tour, at Cardiff Arms Park. This was billed as the ‘Match of the Century’. the ‘World Championship’, the top two teams in the world head to head. The game lived up to expectations, it was the most controversial rugby match ever. The arguments rage and still do to this day. One thing is for certain Wales won the game 3 – 0 and were crowned the ‘unofficial champions of the world’.

NEW ZEALAND 1905 (v WALES) JERSEY

A 1905 All Blacks jersey swapped with Welsh player Cliff Pritchard after the match with Wales. Cliff Pritchard was the Welsh 'Rover', the man who supplied the pass to Rhys Gabe who fed Teddy Morgan who scored the try. According to the local newspaper the Pontypool Free Press, Pritchard caught the train home to Pontypool and when he arrived in the station at 11.23 pm he was expecting it to be deserted. The station however was packed with well wishers. They then carried him shoulder high through the streets, It is thought he was wearing this jersey on his lap of honour around Pontypool.

manufacturer & label:	badge:	number:

no label but 'M' stamped into the jersey is common to all 1905 jerseys, it is believed that it stands for 'Mary', Mary Stubbs and her husband John founded J Stubbs, Hosiery Manufacturer, later to be known as the Manawatu Knitting Mills	silver fern embroidered onto the jersey with a white felt patch background	numbers were tacked on for each game and not sewn on, there is a snag in the cotton where a number has been pulled off the jersey at some stage during the tour.

Ref: WRM-0112-mmjyin.nz1905vewa-WRM-lysss

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An original 'Bryan's Special Grasshopper' 8 panel ball. The ball originates near the Welsh border in Gloucestershire. This type of ball was used at the turn of the century and this particular make of ball is was used in the 1905 Wales v New Zealand match and the 1906 Wales v South Africa matches. (WRM-0923)

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WRM-0595

THE GIANTS COLLIDE

WRM-0596

Pictured are a pair of 'Giant' (12" x 9" = 30cm x 23cm) Postcards issued by the Western Mail relating to the Wales v NZ 1905 match. Both photos are overprinted with 'Read the Evening Express" in red on the bottom left hand corner. The cards are numbered 224 (NZ) and 228 (Wales). The only other 'giant postcard' we have seen in this series is that of Welsh captain Gwyn Nicholls, CLICK HERE to view this. Further information is sought on these cards.

WRM-0595-Q1. - What was the criteria for receiving these cards, were they a free inclusion with the newspaper ?

WRM-0595-Q2. - What other cards exist in this series

WRM-0595-R1. - Further research required - Western Mail Nov 1905 - Jan 1906

For more information on Wales v New Zealand 1905 - CLICK HERE

Acknowledgements

Dai Richards (World Rugby Museum),

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