The Barbarians rugby union jersey worn by Sir Gareth Edwards in the 1973 match versus the New Zealand All Blacks is heading to auction at Rogers Jones & Co Auctioneers in Cardiff, Wales with a £150,000 - £200,000 estimate.
Considered one of the greatest games of rugby ever played, the Barabarians triumphed 23-11 at Cardiff Arms Park with Edwards scoring what has been described as the best try ever.
The number 9 shirt was worn by Edwards throughout the match and is now offered for sale direct from the personal collection of Sir Gareth and his family.
The auction comprises a total 39 shirts from various matches including many that have been match-worn by Sir Gareth.
Prices start at £500 for Sir Gareth's red Umbro track suit top from the 1971 Lions tour of New Zealand with the personal note from Sir Gareth:
‘We didn’t have tracksuits from the Lions in 1968, so these were unique. Carwyn James made sure we were properly equipped for New Zealand and looked good. We as players were delighted, especially in the New Zealand climate"
One of the star items is the red Wales shirt worn by Sir Gareth on 18th March 1978 in his final international match versus France, which has an estimate of £5,000 - £10,000.
Another star items is Edwards' shirt from the 1974 British Lions tour of South Africa when the Lions won 21 of their 22 matches, with an estimate of £20,000 - £25,000.
The Lion's accepted the invitation to play in apartheid ridden South Africa, despite international objection.
Edwards later said:
‘…we made a point of seeking out black people and asking them for views. The majority said they thought we were right to tour, a few felt we should have stayed away. But what most said was, ‘You give us the will to go on’.
This can be considered a one-off sale the likes of which will never be seen in again in Welsh rugby memorabilia.
So a unique opportunity to buy rugby shirts worn by one of the great Welsh rugby legends.
You can view the auction at Rogers Jones.
About your Author:
Adrian Roose has over 30 years’ experience covering all aspects of the rare stamp & memorabilia industry during which he has sold over £50m of unique items, helping build collections for Royalty, household name celebrities and 1,000s of collectors around the world.
Adrian was previously a Director at Stanley Gibbons, a Board Member of Stampex, and Executive Director of Paul Fraser Collectibles, PFC Auctions and JustCollecting, prior to founding The Memorabilia Club.