A Scotland v Wales signed ball. This 'Walter McKenzie' ball is signed by the Scotland and Wales teams from the 1936 Five Nations championship match at Murrayfield. The ball originates from the collection of Tom Rees (Newport & Wales) and is very likely to be the ball used in the match. Walter McKenzie was a famous Scottish sports outfitter who supplied match balls to the Scottish Union pre-war. His shop was famous for the array of match balls lining the walls including Scotland v All Blacks 05 and Springboks 06. The 1936 season was an unbeaten one for Wales, with France missing from the championship, Wales drew 0-0 with England, beat Scotland 13-3 at Murrayfield and defeated Ireland 3 - 0.

John Billot covers the game in his 'History of Welsh International Rugby'........... "After the defensive stalemate of the England match it was refreshing to see a colourful game of thrilling movement. Cliff Jones ran himself almost to a standstill setting up attacks. He made the first try for Wooller and scored the third himself, beating man after man in a dazzling run. Tanner supplied a long, smooth service and his play was a major contribution to success, Idwal Rees was a tireless coverer of his fellow backs. It was a severe test for the Welsh forward, who played with great determination against a pack of exceptional physique."

For Wales, Wooller, Claude Davey and Cliff Jones scored tries. Viv Jenkins converted two. For Scotland Murray scored a try.

The players who have signed the ball are as follows............

Scotland: K.W Marshall (Edinburgh Acads.), W.C.W. Murdoch (Hillhead HSFP), RCS Dick (Guys Hosp., Captain), HM. Murray (Glasgow Univ.), KC Fyfe (Cambridge Univ), RW Shaw (Glasgow HSFP), WR Logan (Edingurgh Wands), RM Grieve (Kelso), WAH Druitt (London Scottish), JA Waters (Selkirk), JA Beattie (Hawick), WA Burnet (West Scotland), M McG Cooper (Oxford Univ), PL Duff (Glasgow Acads), GD Shaw (Gala).

WALES: VGJ Jenkins (London Welsh), BEW McCall (the Welch Regiment and Newport), W Wooller (Cambridge Univ), EC Davey (Capt), J Idwal Rees (Swansea), CW Jones (Cambridge Univ), H Tanner (Swansea), Tom Rees (Newport), Bryn Evans (Llanelli), Trevor Williams (Cross Keys), Harold Thomas (Neath), Griff Williams (Aberavon), AM Rees (London Welsh), J Lang (Llanelli), Eddie Long (Swansea),

This article was posted on 24-May-2007, 18:32 by Hugh Barrow.