St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future
Item
PH262
Object ID
PH262
Type
Rights Holder
Swansea RFC Memorabilia Community Interest Company
Provenance
Swansea RFC
Season
Description
Photographic collage, mounted and titled. The Swansea team that defeated New Zealand in 1935. 23 individual portraits of players and committee of the Swansea rugby team. Each portrait is titled beneath in white ink and the top of the collage is titled: Swansea Rugby Football Team. The team that defeated New Zealand. Saturday September 28th, 1935. Swansea - 1 converted goal, 2 tries - 11 points. New Zealand - 1 try - 3 points." The collage bears the commercial signature of the photographer: "Jack Thomas St Helen's Road, Swansea" in the lower right corner. Dimensions: w"29 1/2 x h"22 (w75cm x h56cm).
Info
This photographic collage was made to commemorate the defeat of the New Zealand touring team by Swansea on 28th December 1935 at St Helen's ground, by 11 points to 3. Tries were scored by forward Dennis Hunt (1) and centre Claude Davey (2). Forward Wilf Harris converted one try and wing Nelson Ball scored a try for the tourists. The game was remarkable for more than one reason. It was the third time New Zealand had toured Britain and Swansea had played them on each occasion. The All Blacks narrowly won in 1905 by 4 points to 3. In 1924 the 'Invincible' All Blacks won handsomely by 39 points to 3. But in 1935 Swansea became the first club side to have defeated a New Zealand team. in doing this Swansea also became the first club side to have defeated the southern hemisphere 'big three' of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, having defeated the former two in 1908 and 1912 respectively. The victory over the 1935 All Blacks was also remarkable for the youthful contribution of the Swansea half-backs Haydn Tanner (18 yrs old) and Willie Davies (19 yrs old). Both would go on to international honours, though Willie Davies had to wait until 1936 for his Welsh cap. Tanner achieved greater laurels by playing in the Welsh win over the tourists later in December 1935. Of the Swansea team featured here, who beat the All Blacks forwards Don Tarr and Harry Payne and centres Claude Davey and Idwal Rees (absent from this Swansea team) also played in the 13 - 12 win over Jack Manchester's All Blacks. After Swansea's historic victory on September, 28th the New Zealand captain told his home country's press: "Tell them back home we have been beaten. But please don't tell them it was by a pair of schoolboys!" Enlargements of the individual portraits can also be seen on this page. A short movie sequence is also available to view in the 'Video & Aural' section on this website.
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