December 16 down the years
Wales see off the Originals
Rusty Gabe - try-saver?
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1905
Wales won their most famous Test of all time, lowering the colours of the original All Blacks 3-0 through a try by Teddy Morgan in a thriller staged at Cardiff Arms Park. A game that was billed as an unofficial world championship, Dave Gallaher's Originals arrived in Wales with a proud unbeaten record and Test wins over Australia, Ireland, Scotland and England under their belts. Morgan's try came from a set move, but the All Blacks' response became a lingering controversy. Centre Bob Deans maintained until his death that he had crossed the Welsh line for a try, but the referee ruled that he had been stopped short by a tackle from Wales' Rusty Gabe. The incident was recounted by Daily Mail correspondent J.A. Buttery: " It was now that Wallace, chafing under the prolonged inaction which the Colonial three-quarter line had endured, rushed with the desperation born of despair into the thick of the fray. Gathering the ball from an opponent's toe, he tore his way through every obstacle, and in a trice was speeding down the field, with Deans on his flank, and only two opponents to pass. It looked an absolutely certain try. Winfield went for Wallace a dozen yards from the line, but ere he could reach him the ball had been passed out to Deans racing down the touchline. He, too, was collared, but not before he had grounded across the Welsh line, though the referee -whose decision is bound to be accepted in such matters declared that he had been 'held up,' and ordered a scrum instead of a place-kick."
1882
The first Test on Welsh soil. England began their Triple Crown season with a December visit to St Helen's, Swansea where Wales conceded six tries and failed to score. English three-quarter Gregory Wade crossed for three tries, with Arthur Evanson converting twice for the victory.
1972
Andy Irvine and Ian McGeechan shared their side's points on their Test debuts for Scotland in a 14-9 defeat by the All Blacks at Murrayfield. The duo went on to excel with both Scotland and the Lions, playing nine and eight Lions Tests respectively. McGeechan's debut came at fly-half, prior to his shift to the centre.
1995
Lawrence Dallaglio marked his first start for England in a Test by scoring a try in a 27-9 victory over Western Samoa. Dallaglio started on the openside and was joined on the scoresheet by wing Rory Underwood.
1939
A huge crowd - the largest for 31 years - attended the Richmond Athletic Ground to see only the third-ever Four Countries match. England & Wales beat Scotland & Ireland 17-3 in a Services Red Cross charity match. 28 of the players were full internationals including Alex
Obolensky who scored a try for the England and Wales combination.
1947
The International Rugby Board meeting in London announced the major Test tour schedule for the coming years. It included France to New Zealand & Australia (in 1948), New Zealand to South Africa (1949) and the British & Irish Lions to New Zealand and Australia (1950). [The first of these never actually came off but the other two went ahead as planned.]
1967
The All Blacks wound up their unbeaten visit with a last-minute 11-6 win against the Barbarians in the first-ever tour finale to be staged at Twickenham.
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