A version of this post first appeared on The Cardiffian website.
As Iain Ramage, uttered the word “inconclusive” just after 5.30pm on Saturday evening, Wales’s 20th Five and Six Nations Triple Crown was sealed.
Ramage, the television match official, had studied footage for three intense minutes as he tried to determine whether England wing David Strettle had grounded the ball for a potentially equalising try in the last play of what had been a pulsating and compelling encounter. The score was disallowed, giving Sam Warburton the first tangible silverware of his short international captaincy.
Thrilling wins over Ireland (21-23) in Dublin, Scotland (27-13) in Cardiff had preceded the 19-12 triumph over England at Twickenham, the biggest scalp of all.
It was Wales’s third Triple Crown success since the inception of the Six Nations in 2000, after the Grand Slam-winning seasons of four and seven years ago, and the first time Wales had won three Triple Crowns within a decade of one another since 197?.
The Grand Slam is, of course, the Holy Grail of European rugby. But there is something particularly special for each of the four British Isles nations in triumphing over each of the other three.
Arguably, Wales’s 20th Triple Crown, the first ever secured at the home of English rugby, was also the nation’s most impressive. Here, The Cardiffian takes a look back at some of the most memorable Triple Crown-winning performances.
1893
For the first time – and nine tournaments after the Home Nations championship was first conceived in 1882 – Wales picked up the Triple Crown, which, before France joined in 1910, was also a Grand Slam.
In an era which was a far cry from today’s relatively free-scoring spectacles, Wales opened the tournament with a narrow 12-11 win over England in Cardiff thanks to a late penalty from one of the superstars of the era, Billy Bancroft. Notably, exactly half of the total points scored in the championship came in the fixture, which England would have won 22-20 if present-day scoring methods had been used.
Wales completed the Slam with a 9-0 win in Edinburgh before dispatching Ireland 2-0 at Stradey Park in Llanelli. Ireland finished the tournament without scoring a point, though also boasted the tightest defence – conceding only six.
1905
The first golden era for the sport in Wales, 1905 is best remembered in the nation’s rugby circles for the controversial autumn win over the touring, and previously undefeated New Zealand side.
Teddy Morgan, who scored the only points in a 3-0 win, confirmed his place in Welsh rugby lore – even if All Black Colin Deans did insist on his deathbed he had touched down for what would have been an equalising try. Parallels with David Strettle, anyone?
But Wales had already dispatched their fellow home nations in emphatic style earlier in the year. None was more impressive than the seven-try, 25-0 thrashing of England, in which Morgan had bagged a brace of scores.
1969
The prelude to the legendary Welsh teams of the 1970s, the championship-winning 1969 secured the Triple Crown in fine style by racking up 12 tries in the games against Scotland, Ireland and England.
Wales drew 8-8 with France in the penultimate game of the championship to miss out narrowly on a Grand Slam, but the Triple Crown was wrapped up with an emphatic 30-9 win over England at the National Stadium, Cardiff Arms Park.
Maurice Richards, who switched to Rugby League later in the season and who went on to represent Great Britain in the 13-a-side code, scored six tries in the tournament. Four came against England, making him just the third Welsh player to touch down four times in the same game – although a further six players have done so since.
1977
This was one of only three years in the 1970s when Wales did not win or share the championship. Wales did not live up to their 1976 showing, when they became the first team ever to record more than 100 points in one championship.
Wales entered the last weekend of fixtures knowing they had an outside chance of sharing the season’s honours with France following wins at the National Stadium over Ireland and England. But while Les Bleus confirmed their Grand Slam by winning at Lansdowne Road, it was Wales’s 18-9 victory at Murrayfield against Scotland which provided one of the most memorable tries of all time.
It had everything. Gerald Davies picked up the ball inside his own 25-yard line (as was) and sidestepped two helpless Scottish defenders, palmed off a third before slipping a pass to Phil Bennett. He advanced the ball to halfway, fed centre David Burcher, who sucked two defenders towards him before lobbing a basketball-style pass inside to Steve Fenwick, who in turn offloaded instantly to Phil Bennett. For good measure, Bennett sidestepped two more Scots and ran in, untouched, from thirty yards.
Four home players lay sprawled on the Murrayfield turf as Bennett slid to touch down; the stands roared their appreciation; Bill McLaren, in the BBC commentary box, failed to contain his excitement. It was a try which defined the golden generation of Welsh rugby – and secured yet another Triple Crown.
2005
In many ways, the 2005 Triple Crown and Grand Slam came out of nothing for Wales, who had previously finished no higher than fourth in the Six Nations.
An opening day 11-9 success against England – only their second over their fiercest rivals since 1994 – came courtesy of a late, nerveless long-range penalty from Gavin Henson.
Away wins in Italy and France preceded a stunning display of free-flowing rugby as Mike Ruddock’s men ran in six tries (five in the first half) and 46 points at Murrayfield.
The Millennium Stadium prior to Wales's 32-20 win over Ireland in 2005
An emotionally charged atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium saw Wales record their first Grand Slam since 1978 by dispatching Ireland 32-20. Gethin Jenkins charged down Ronan O’Gara’s kick for a memorable try, as the hosts finally laid the ghosts of more than two decades of relative underperformance to rest.
An Early Bath 
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