The Welsh national team has experienced a revival in recent years, winning grand slams in 2005, 2008 and 2012, taking the Six Nations championship in 2013 and regularly being ranked in the top six teams.
But the 1970s are regarded as the real glory days and Sir Gareth Edwards was a big part of that. The shirt he wore in the 25-9 victory over Ireland at Cardiff Arms Park in 1977 is estimated at £2000-3000 at Rogers Jones & Co, appropriately in its Cardiff sale.
As befits a Welsh auction house, Rogers Jones has developed a good pedigree in rugby-related lots, not least the New Zealand shirt worn by captain Dave Gallaher on their 1905-06 British tour which made a world-record £180,000 in October 2015. It was bought by Nigel Wray, the chairman of Saracens rugby club and owner of a private collection of sporting memorabilia, the Priory Collection.
Edwards jersey
Rogers Jones says Edwards gave his jersey directly to a Ken Rees after the Ireland match and it then passed on to the current owner during a charity auction in 2007.
The son of a coalminer, Edwards found a natural ability for many different sports but it was clear by the age of 17 that rugby was going to be his sport and scrum-half his position.
He gained his first cap against France at the age of 19 in 1967. He went on to win 53 caps over 11 years including 13 as captain. He was Wales’ youngest ever captain at the age of 20.
Edwards was blessed with having two of the most celebrated and natural fly-halves on his shoulder in Barry John and Phil Bennett. In all he scored 20 international tries for Wales. During this era, Wales were dominant in the Five Nations championship (which preceded the Six Nations) - winning the title seven times and taking three grand slams.
He played for the British & Irish Lions 10 times and was part of the 1971 winning series in New Zealand and the 1974 unbeaten South Africa tour side.
He spent his entire senior club career with Cardiff RUFC, scoring 69 tries in 195 matches. He was also the scorer of ‘that try’, the legendary 1973 Barbarians effort v New Zealand, usually regarded as the best try ever scored.
