St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future
1905-1906 Season
After six Welsh Championships in seven seasons, Swansea were only ably to finish runners-up in 1905-06 to Cardiff. The pressure on the erstwhile champions increased with each season, opponents determined to be the one to bring the team down. In addition, the fame brought to the club through continuous success brought the 'northern poachers' to the door. Jim Davies had been a bright prospect at centre for Swansea, but he departed to Huddersfield in August. Record try-scorer Fred Jowett soon departed for Hull Kingston Rovers, Welsh cap Dan Rees would shortly join him there, further depleting the well tried back line. With Dick Jones still injured and unable to partner Dickie Owen, Tommy Grey of the Parochial club was tried to fill the gap. Lewis Jenkins, Tommy Arnold and Phil Hopkins also filled the outside-half post, which eventually settled onthe shoulders of Billy Trew, a half-back combination made in heaven - when Trew was not injured. Llew Davies, a brother of Welsh cap George Davies, joined his brother in the three-quarter line, as would yet another brother Jack Davies, from that famous rugby family from Llandeio. Pontardawe's centre Ford Scale also joined the back-line and played against the All Blacks for Swansea in December. But it was the highlight of his career as he badly fractured his thigh in January against Newport and never played again. But new faces inthe forwards appeared to fill the gap left by longserving forwards. George Hayward, another from the Parochial club would bring his weight and speed to the All Whites as would the quick thinking Ivor Morgan, who began an almost telepathic understanding at the back of the scrum with Dickie Owen.
The various changes to the team had an effect and eight matches were lost out of 32 played, a far distance from the exceptionally high standards of the past few seasons, but understandable under the circumstances. this was to be Frank "Genny" Gordon's fourth and last season in charge of the first fifteen. In fact he retired altogether from playing at season's end, having accumulated 316 appearances between 1894 and 1906, a tremendous record of service.
Swansea hosted the final match of the tour by New Zealand, The All Blacks having won 29 of their 30 matches, the only reverse being the infamous 3-0 defeat to Wales. Swansea lost the game by 4 points to 3 and by a drop goal to a try by Fred Scrine. It was the closest margin of victory for New Zealand over the Welsh sides. Swansea Scrum-half Dickie Owen had a try disalowed. Most observers felt Swansea had been very unlucky to lose the game. It is worth noting that under the modern scoring system, Swansea would have won by 5 points to 3!
The Swansea team on that day (30 December 1905) was :
George Davies, WJ Trew, W Arnold, F Gordon (captain), F Scale, F Scrine, RM Owen, P Hopkins, Ivor Morgan, DJ Thomas, W Cole, H Hunt, W Parker, Aubrey Smith and Will Joseph.
Dave Gallaher, the New Zealand captain, considered St. Helen’s to have been the best ground he had played on.
See PH066 on this website for enlarges view.
GLAMORGAN COUNTY v ALL BLACKS
The Glamorgan team that played New Zealand on 21st December 1905 at St Helen's ground, Swansea.New Zealand beat Glamorgan by three tries to nil (9 – 0). Half-time: 0 -3.
Back Row (L to R): Mr A J Davies (WFU Committee), J F Williams (Cardiff), Dick Thomas (Mountain Ash), Dai Jones (Aberdare), Dai Westacott (Cardiff), Howell Jones (Neath), W H ‘Harry’ Hunt (Swansea).
2nd Row (L to R): W ‘Billy’ Pullen (Cardiff), J C M Dyke (Penarth), Will Joseph [captain] (Swansea), R A Gibbs (Cardiff), J L Williams (Cardiff), Jack Powell (Cardiff).
Front Row (L to R): J ‘Bala’ Jones (Aberavon), Phil Hopkins (Swansea), Willie Arnold (Swansea). (Club Archive).
GLAMORGAN COUNTY v ALL BLACKS – Original Movie footage
1905 movie footage of the All Blacks and Glamorgan County teams entering the field at St Helen's on 21st December 1905 and action from the match.
SWANSEA v ALL BLACKS
Swansea players look on as the New Zealanders finish performing the Haka in front of a capacity crowd at St Helen's. Gil Evans the referee is walking toward the grandstand and checking his watch before kick off. (See PH211 on this website for the full set of images).
SWANSEA v ALL BLACKS
A news cutting underlines the closeness of the result. In the Welsh part of the New Zealanders’ tour, they beat Newport by 3 points, Cardiff by 2 points and Swansea by a single point. Of the 7 tries conceded by New Zealand on the British Tour, 4 were against Welsh clubs. Swansea were the only opponents that New Zealand failed to score a try against. (David Dow collection).
WALES v ALL BLACKS
The Welsh team that achieved the impossible – a win over the All Blacks. A rehearsed move, the brainchild of Dickie Owen, undid the New Zealand defence in the first half for an unconverted try by Teddy Morgan. Owen feinted to pass to Percy bush, who the tourists were wary of. He then swung a reverse pass out to rover Cliff Pritchard and the ball went wide to Morgan who sped in at the corner. The game had everything as New Zealand claimed an equalising try by Bob Deans which referee John Dallas did not allow. Owen suffered rough treatment throughout and the little man was found to have a displaced cartiladge afterwards, which explained how his normally immaculate reverse pass had bounced before reaching Pritchard. He said afterwards: “I would have gone off the field in any other match than this”.
WALES v ALL BLACKS
A match programme from the Wales v New Zealand game of 1905 (Courtesy of Phil Owen – Grandson of Dickie Owen).
WALES v ALL BLACKS
The jersey worn by Swansea forward Will Joseph at the Wales v New Zealand match of 1905. (Courtesy of Will Joseph’s Great Nephew).
