Matamata - 50 years on

Back on December 1974 the 1st XV played the an unbeaten side from New Zealand - Matamata College.  At the time they were on a unbeatedn run and were quasay New Zealand champions.  The team included Murray Taylor who played 30 matches for the All Blacks in the late 1970s and early 1980s; 7 of these were test matches.

We were their first game on tour and played them on 12th December, 1974.  As the report (see Gallery) says it was a typical Brecon day 'wet and windy'.  The season had not been one of our best with loses against both Monmouth and Llandovery and far too many injuries than usual.  Undetered and with Graham Lewis playing his first game(!) we did our best and came out on top.

Facing the HAKA - not the first Breconians to do so but certainly the first for 50 years is something all of us will remember.

Matamata went on to win ALL their other games.

Andrew K Sutton; Paul M D Arnold, Michael J Williams, Keith N Gibson (capt), Anthony D Grenow; Graham W  Lewis, Malcolm W  Palmer; Richard L  Francis-Williams, J Gwyn Jones, Alan B D  Thomas, Richard  Dixon, David B  Evans, Huw  L P  Richards, Nicholas P Bodycombe, Robert H Batten

Back in late November some of us raised a glass to celebrate and also to the coach on that day - Patrick Tobin.

It was good to be together again amongst friends and chat over memories.