Australia v Wales , 2nd Test Match 1978.

Played at the Sydney Cricket Ground, 17th June 1978. Test debuts of Clive Davis, Terry Holmes and Alun Donovan.

[@user-te3jc3sl7r]

1978 was the start of the Wallabies becoming a respected and competitive rugby side on the world rugby scene. Later that year they thumped the ABs 30-16 at Eden park and the following year won the Bledisloe cup in Sydney for the first time in 30 years. Wales were terribly injury plagued before this game with JPR having to play on the side of the scrum. Wallaby strong man Steve Finnane was lucky not to get ordered off for breaking Prices jaw but the Wallabies did enough to win.

[@abigailcarter8996]

Qqq

[@gregbooth1551]

Good game! My first impression was midwinter in Sydney is like summer in the UK. Biffo! Wales had some hard nuts like Graham Price JPR Williams etc, but Steve Finnane, Mark Loane, and Paddy Batch (Baddy Patch as we liked to describe him) were hard men from what I can recall. Dick Byers the Oz ref made lots of mistakes in Oz favour...not a good look, Wales should have won I think. The All Blacks beat both teams in 1978, but the Wallabies won in 1979, 1980. Good on them, they learned the lessons we gave them.

[@themillwall442]

I watched the game as a 17yr old on the old Hill. Dunno to this day where they came from, but I swear there were more Welsh supporters there than Aussie. Great day!

[@stephenreeds3632]

There are plastic Celts everywhere, mate.

[@JP1234815]

The famous game where JPR found himself playing as Flanker!!!! Did ok. So surprising to see him lining up in the lineout and packing down in the scrum.

[@daidando8903]

⁰⁰

[@stephenreeds3632]

He loved the physical side...hmm.

[@Red-Revolution708]

That was the end of a great Welsh side of the 1970’s .

[@Red-Revolution708]

This was the dying days of that great Welsh side of the 70’s , no Phil Bennet or Gareth Edwards .

[@johncourtneidge]

Hmmm . . .to what extent did the early violence influence the outcome?

[@johnmanning5568]

Why wasn’t kick off delayed?? Over 2000 people still waiting outside the ground!

[@alunsmith5705]

78. When Aus beat Wales. Hahaha. The music suits mate.

[@lapalad]

The gentleman's code of Rugby???

[@johncourtneidge]

Ha, ha, ha!

[@donkeysknob5162]

JPR as a flanker, it shows how versatile rugby players can be, you’d never get that with overpaid footballers that’s for sure

[@allenevans9338]

An example of a homer referee par excellence!

[@MrJeepsters]

Comment les gallois ont-ils réussi à perdre ce match ? Ils étaient largement supérieurs. On dirait des débutants ( les français les avaient battu très facilement en 74).

[@MrJeepsters]

Je viens de l'apprendre, la france avait perdu 11-13 en 1971 contre eux.

[@brettwilkinson9529]

Dick Byers was a very biased referre.

[@stephenreeds3632]

Not as bad as Bob Burgess(?). When asked whose put in it was at a scrum, he replied 'ours'. Allowed play to continue with an Aussie forward tap dancing on a prone Eng forward but sent an Eng prop off for fighting back.

[@jesterschameleon1862]

Dreadful standard of rugby back then ... lol

[@petermorris8475]

laughable refereeing

[@andrewkennedy1458]

Graham Price was among the Welsh forwards laying into Steve Finnane in the 1st Test. Finnane decided he wasn't going to cop any more shit. Price tested his luck again against Finnane and came off a distant 2nd best.

[@andrewhopper9852]

Utter blinkered rubbish - Graham Price was one of the most honest props in the game - whereas Finnane was an opportunist thug. He punched Price from behind - which tells you all you need to know about Finnane's character

[@Rotowhaka]

I remember this match back in 78, and My take on Price having his jaw broken is. Finnane realised He was not in the same class as Price, and was about to be outplayed in all aspects, thus he took him out with a cheap shot. Price would have been one of the worlds best props at this point in time, and close to one of the best Welsh Props of all time.

[@vantheman1238]

Yeah you’re talking complete and utter shite. Finnane hit Price from behind. Cowardly thuggish act. The Wallabies knew who the best side was and were determined to use thuggery to win.