A MONMOUTHSHIRE rugby club played their biggest ever game 40 years ago last Sunday (January 22, 1983) – when thousands travelled west to Stradey Park to see their local team take on the mighty Scarlets of Llanelli in the last 16 of the Schweppes Welsh Cup Competition.

And despite facing a side filled with Wales and British Lions stars, Abergavenny RFC gave as good as they got, winning the second half and keeping their illustrious opponents scoreless after the break as the hosts only won 17-6.

While the current crop’s match at home to Ynysddu was frozen off on Saturday , it gave time to refelct on the historic 1983 match frozen in time. En-route to Stradey, Abergavenny had beaten Abertillery (then a Snelling club) 13-9, Ynysddu 19-9, Llanharan 10-3 all at home and Pembroke Dock Quins 18-0 away.

Llanelli contained eight players who were, or later became Wales internationals, two of whom were British Lions – centres Ray Gravell and Peter Morgan – and three Wales B Players.

Abergavenny conceded a try in the first minute by international Phil Lewis and two further tries by Wales stars Mark Douglas and David Pickering. The Scarlet fans expected the flood gates to open in the second half but Abergavenny hadn’t read the script...

And the second 40 minutes proved one of the greatest displays of rugby by a second class side in the history of the competition.

The Claret and Ambers defied the odds to prevent any further scores by Llanelli and claim the only points of the second half from a try by captain Nigel Evans, which was converted by Paul Exton.

On the day of the 21 players selected, 10 players had played for Abergavenny Youth, alongside three players on the bench who had played for them. Four players had previously captained the side – Brian Clarke (Clarky), Jeff Gardner (Gynt), David James (Ferret) and Terry Richards (The Neck or Yosser).

Two more went on to captain the side, Geoff Williams (Flyboy) setting a club record of seven seasons, followed by Mike Williams (Rhino).

Four players have sadly passed away since that heady day – Terry Richards, Adrian Green, Keith Knight and Paul ‘Maffo’ Matthews, who had all played in earlier rounds of the cup run.

Others who featured included John Gunter, Kevin Neal, Gary Indge, Peter Hrastelj, Alan Jones, Wayne Trumper, Gareth Havard, Mark Lloyd, Mostyn Richards, Huw Jenkins, Andrew Goldsworthy, Keith Knight and Tony McPherson.

Nigel Evans is hoping to hold a reunion at the end of the Six Nations at a home game on March 25.

A club spokesperson said: “The current players were not even born when this occasion took place! But so far this season the camaraderie is there.. So keep it up lads! ”