It was 1971: the year Joe Frazier defeated Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden, and Jackie Stewart became Formula One Champion for the second time. Elsewhere in sport, 30,000 Wales fans travelled to Edinburgh in hope of victory.
The official match programme, at a cost of two shillings, contains an article by the Western Mail’s then chief rugby writer, J.B.G. Thomas, explaining how Welsh fans can never be certain of a result against the Scots:
“Whether it was the long stride of Ian Smith in the 1920s, the dropped goals of Herbert Waddell in 1930, or that of Peter Kininmonth in 1951, the fear is always there!”
This year promised to be something special for Wales, though. Head coach Clive Rowlands’s men had already seen off England convincingly in the Five Nations tournament. Scotland, however, had other ideas. In a wild, open game, the lead changed hands a number of times, with Scotland edging it as the clock wound down.
When the attacking Gerald Davies was confronted by Ian Smith (not he of the 1920s), the hosts’ last line of defence, there could be only one winner. The 26-year-old winger from Llansaint danced his way past the Scot for a try in the corner that put Wales a single point behind with barely a minute left in the game.
In a moment that has now gone down in rugby folklore, up stepped ‘flank-forward’ John Taylor, of London Welsh fame, to add the crucial extras. “The greatest conversion since St. Paul,” was how the commentator famously described Taylor’s successful kick that handed Wales a 19-18 win in the Scottish capital, and inspired euphoria among the visiting waves of red.
Forty years later, Taylor reflected on the conversion in this interview with the Scotsman. And what a kick it was, for without it Wales would not have clinched the Grand Slam that year, with one of the greatest squads to ever wear the red jersey.
Who will step up this weekend to emulate the heroes of ’71?
The Under Armour Series match between Wales and Scotland kicks off at Principality Stadium this Saturday, 14:45.
