St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

Item

OT174

Object ID

OT174

Type

Rights Holder

Swansea RFC memorabilia Community Interest Company

Provenance

John Davies

Season

Description

A set of green rugby socks with white 'feet'. Double white strip on knee turns. Black band on calf with yellow band within.

Info

This pair of rugby socks was worn by Swansea centre John Davies in the club's match against Australia on 26th November 1966 at St Helen's. Swansea won the match by 9 - 8. The Swansea captain Mike Thomas scored a try, full-back Stuart Ferguson kicking a penalty and outside-half Brian Diment kicked drop goal. All Swansea's points came in the first-half. For Australia Greg Davies scored a try, Alan Cardy another and Jim Lenehan a conversion.

The socks are especially unusual as Swansea traditionally wore an all white kit without markings of any kind and plain back and white hooped socks, this even against touring sides. In this instance it was decided to wear coloured socks to represent the opponents of the day, Australia. It is the only occasion that Swansea have deviated from the regular socks used during the season, and as these 'green and gold' socks were never again used, they originate from |Swansea's victory of 1966 over the Wallabies and from no other match.

Swansea centre John Davies played 194 matches for the Swansea 1st XV between 1964 and 1975 and also represented the Swansea Athletic side. he also played for Llanelli, Welsh Youth, West Wales and the Crawshays invitational side. John played another touring side when he turned out for Swansea against the 1969 Springboks at St Helen's. He has kindly gifted these sock from the 1966 match v Australia to the St Helen's Archive.

Keywords

socks, 1966-1967, australia, tour match, john davies,

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