Wales vs Italy

SATURDAY 16 MARCH 2024 | DYDD SADWRN 16 MAWRTH 2024
a call to go to New Zealand.
I was fielding in the covers
when someone ran onto the
field and said there was an
urgent phone call or me. It
was a Mr Haig Smith, who
informed me that George
Norton had broken his
arm in New Zealand and
that the Lions intended to
send out a replacement.
He asked me if I would like to
go. I had just turned 19 and
was only just getting over
the disappointment of being
one of only two players who
had played throughout the
Welsh Grand Slam season
who had not been picked to
tour. My first thought was
about what I would tell the
Navy because I’d be going
on a trip that would see me
away from the UK for the
best part of three months. He
assured me he could fix that.
Within a week everything had
been fixed for me to fly out
to join the tour. No Lion had
ever flown before but they
worked out a schedule for me
to go by air. I’d never been
on a plane before but I had
a journey to the other side of
the world to look forward to.
I went from my home in
Swansea to London Airport
and boarded a Boeing
Stratocruiser. Up in went
and, within half an hour,
down it came again – in
Shannon. Next stop was
Newfoundland and then New
York. There was a change
of planes in New York – a
Super Constellation aircraft
– and on to Chicago and
then Sa n Francisco, where
I had to stay the night.
That’s where I ran into a bit of
a problem. I was only allowed
to take £25 transit money
with me and I’d used some of
it in New York. When I arrived
in San Francisco I took a taxi
into town to find a hotel. By
the time I got there I’d used
all my money on the cab fare.
I spent the night and left
rather quickly in the morning
without paying. I went to
the nearest travel agency,
explained my dilemma and
they arranged to put me on
the airport bus. I was glad to
be back in the air, n another
Super Constellation, and
the first stop in the Pacific
was Canton Island. It was so
small I think the only thing
on the island was the landing
strip and refuelling truck.
Honolulu was next on the
agenda before I flew too
Sydney – I can’t remember if
there were any other stops in
between. There was another
change of plane in Sydney
as I headed to Auckland,
and then another change
of aircraft to take me to
finally meet up with the
Lions in Gisborne. When I
arrived after four and a half
days of travelling, Bleddyn
Williams was there to meet
me. Two days later I was
GUINNESS SIX NATIONS 2024 | WALES V ITALY | CYMRU V YR EIDAL
/WELSHRUGBYUNION 75