The 1972 Llanelli jersey that beat the All Blacks - why it's a piece of rugby history

On 31st October 1972, Llanelli overturned the odds with a historic 9-3 victory over New Zealand at Stradey Park. Few results in the club game carry the same weight, and few pieces of memorabilia capture a single afternoon as completely as this one.

This jersey was worn that day by Tommy David, the powerhouse back-row forward who had just joined the Scarlets from Pontypridd. To our knowledge, no other jersey from this famous match has ever come to auction.

We are pleased to offer it in our forthcoming sale at Rogers Jones. This is a rare opportunity for collectors of Welsh rugby memorabilia to own a tangible piece of one of the sport's greatest days.

The value of sporting memorabilia rests on three things: rarity, provenance and story. This jersey has all three in abundance.

It is genuinely rare, and we believe this to be the first time a jersey from the match has ever been auctioned. It also comes directly with provenance from Tommy David and his family, removing the question of authenticity that troubles so much sporting memorabilia.

And the story behind it is one of the most cherished in Welsh sport. For collectors buying at a rugby memorabilia auction, an object like this that connects to a defining cultural moment carries a significance that goes far beyond the shirt itself.

The match remains one of the most celebrated upsets in the history of rugby union. Played before a capacity crowd of around 26,000, it saw a team of local Welsh players humble one of the most dominant international sides in the world.

The scoring was set in motion by the creative play of fly-half Phil Bennett. After Bennett struck the crossbar with a long-range penalty, the ball rebounded to All Blacks scrum-half Lin Colling; as Colling tried to clear, Llanelli centre Roy Bergiers charged the kick down and dived on the ball in the corner for the game's only try.

Bennett's conversion gave the home side an early six-point lead. New Zealand replied with a Joe Karam penalty to narrow the gap to 6-3, but they could not break a resolute Llanelli defence.

The victory was sealed ten minutes from time when winger Andy Hill landed a huge penalty from near halfway, making the final score 9-3. The win was so significant to the community that the town's pubs famously ran dry as fans celebrated long into the night. The moment was later immortalised in Max Boyce's poem and song.

Born in Pontypridd in April 1948, Tommy David became one of the most recognisable forwards of the 1970s, known for his robust style and his rare ability to excel in both rugby union and rugby league.

Under the innovative coaching of Carwyn James at Llanelli, David developed into a more versatile, mobile back-rower. This evolution was on full display against New Zealand, where he refused to be intimidated and provided the physical edge needed to protect the early lead.

Remarkably, he repeated the feat months later as part of the legendary Barbarians side that beat the All Blacks in January 1973, making him one of the very few players to defeat the world's most famous rugby team twice in a single season.

His Wales career, however, was brief, with only four caps between 1973 and 1976. This was largely due to the fierce competition for back-row places in the golden era of Welsh rugby. He was nonetheless part of the 1976 Grand Slam squad and earned a place on the 1974 British Lions tour to South Africa, crossing for five tries in the provincial games of an undefeated party.

As his union career wound down, David switched to rugby league in 1981 with the Cardiff City Blue Dragons, adapting to the thirteen-man code in his thirties and winning two caps for the Wales rugby league side, confirming his status as a truly versatile athlete.

Match-worn jerseys sit at the very top of the sporting memorabilia market, and demand is strongest where an item combines watertight provenance with a great story. This jersey offers both.

At Rogers Jones, sporting lots with genuine cultural resonance consistently attract competitive bidding from collectors across Wales and beyond. For anyone considering buying rugby memorabilia at auction, an object tied to a moment as iconic as the 1972 win is about as good as it gets.

The sale takes place at our Cardiff saleroom. View the full catalogue online here. 

It is a genuinely rare, match-worn jersey from one of rugby union's most famous upsets, with direct provenance from Tommy David and family. To our knowledge, no other jersey from the match has ever been auctioned.

Tommy David was a Welsh back-row forward of the 1970s who played for Pontypridd, Llanelli and Cardiff. He beat the All Blacks twice in one season. Once with Llanelli in 1972 and again with the Barbarians in 1973. David was also part of the 1976 Grand Slam squad and toured with the 1974 British Lions.

Llanelli beat New Zealand 9-3 at Stradey Park on 31st October 1972, through a Roy Bergiers try, a Phil Bennett conversion and an Andy Hill penalty. The win famously caused the town's pubs to run dry and inspired a Max Boyce poem and song.

Collectors can buy rugby and sporting memorabilia through specialist auction houses, including Rogers Jones, whose sales regularly feature Welsh sporting lots with strong provenance.