St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

JY008

Scotland jersey worn by Scottish captain A L Gracie. Wales v Scotland at Cardiff Arms Park on 3rd February 1923. Blue with Scottish thistle emblem on breast. No number on back. Front top half very faded.

Jersey

CIC

Rowe Harding

1922-1923

Scotland jersey worn by Scottish captain A L Gracie in the match Wales v Scotland at Cardiff Arms Park on 3rd February 1923. Presented to Swansea RFC by Rowe Harding of Swansea and Wales who also played in the match. Scotland won by 11 - 8 with Archie Gracie scoring 2 tries. He was carried shoulder high from the pitch by the appreciative Welsh crowd for his performance. In scoring his second try his foot accidentally hit a young Scottish supporter at the pitch-side, knocking several of his front teeth out. His try had involved a dummy pass to the well watched Eric Liddell of future Olympic fame. A crowd of 40,000 was crammed right up to the edge of the pitch to watch Scotland gain their first win in Wales for 33 years.
Archie Gracie won 13 Scottish caps at centre between 1921 and 1924. Born in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1896, he played for Eltham College, Oxford University, Harlequins and Manchester. Adrian Stoop was responsible for his move to Harlequins, seeing Gracie as an essential player in his adventurous backline. Archie Gracie had served as Second Lieutenant in the King's Royal Rifle Corps during WW1 and was awarded the Military Cross in 1917.

jersey, scotland, cardiff arms park, 1922-1923, 1923, a l gracie