There were possibly more stars on display than the astronomer Patrick Moore got to see in a lifetime of looking through a telescope.
But how did the big names involved in James Hook’s testimonial match shape up?
The match finished with a James Hook Select XV beating a Classic Lions XV 45-43 in an encounter that featured 14 tries.
Here’s a rundown of those who stood out.
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Colin Charvis
Still competitive enough to give away a penalty try in a testimonial match.
Operating at No. 7 for Hook’s side, one of Wales’ greatest-ever back-row forwards also snaffled two turnovers and put in more than one thumping tackle.
It was good to see him on the field again, to remind those watching of what he could do.
James Hook
Man of the match, thought Sean Holley.
He was right.
Hook used his testimonial match to parade his full range of skills, looking good enough at times to still be playing pro rugby.
Well, he is only 36.
There were two tries, some classy distribution, eye-catching running and effortless game control. Oh, and minutes from time he broke upfield and seconds later put in the deft kick over the top for Aled Brew to score the winning try.
It was a grand night for the No. 10, with his big game played in front of a bumper crowd at The Gnoll. Afterwards, he stayed on the pitch for an hour, posing for pictures, signing autographs and thanking people for coming along. Really, they should have thanked him for playing as he did.
Shane Williams
Banked an early try but there was better to come when Williams was confronted by three defenders.
No way through?
For most other players, perhaps.
In a blur the Wales international left the trio clutching handfuls of thin air, with his dancing feet taking him clear for a spectacular short-range score.
He had no right to sidestep people the way he did sometimes.
But he’s always been a special player, one no one could ever tire of seeing on a rugby pitch.
Mike Phillips
Just maybe he’d bop someone over a game of tiddlywinks.
Has there ever been a bigger Welsh rugby competitor than Phillips?
This was a testimonial, yet the scrum-half grappled with his direct opponent Martin Roberts at one point and put in a hit on another Classic Lion that drew a gasp from the crowd.
All or nothing. It’s the only way Phillips knows how to play.
There were a couple of nice breaks as well.
Great stuff.
Matthew Rees
Memo to Wayne Pivac: If one of your hookers goes down for Wales’ South Africa tour this summer, there’s an 18st slab of physicality and power waiting to be called.
Only kidding. Obviously.
The 41-year-old Rees’ competitive playing days are long past, but ‘Smiler’, as the ex-Wales captain and hooker is known throughout rugby, seemed to relish being back out in the middle again.
There were tackle busts, big hits, impressive physicality and a try.
Rob McCusker
He told this writer on the way to the ground that he hadn’t done any running since December.
Which is a bit of a problem when you’re about to play a rugby match in front of thousands of people.
But the amiable Llanelli cafe owner and former Wales, Scarlets and Ospreys back-row forward keeps himself in shape via jujitsu, and he far from ran out of puff at The Gnoll.
McCusker was known for his soft hands during his competitive playing days and he still has the ability to offload out of the tackle. He can also still carry.
Impressive.
Haydn Pugh
Not known to every casual observer, but the Carmathen Quins lock didn’t stop grafting. He was up against an excellent lock in Michael Paterson, but Pugh held his own.
Allan Bateman
He is 57 now but the delayed pass he conjured to set up Shane Williams’ opening try was worth the admission money on its own. It was just one moment, but it transported this watcher back to a floodlit match in the late 1980s, when such was Bateman’s brilliance for Maesteg that the opposition could have been forgiven for believing nothing short of a sniper in the stand would have kept him quiet.
Shortly after his first intervention on Friday, there was another lovely pop pass. Whenever he had the ball there was something to enjoy. The opposition may have been a bit bigger and bulkier than in Bateman’s hey-day — whatever you say about Nick Williams, he isn’t a lightweight — but the former Gnoll favourite coped.
He knows no other way.
Ma’ama Molitika
He’s a qualified fitness coach and it showed.
Molitika looked lean, fit and hungry.
There again, he only stopped playing two years ago — at the age of 45.
Playing with a No. 7 on his back, he was never far from the ball on Friday, with a highlight including a superbly executed turnover.
Jonathan Thomas
He’s been retired as a player for four years but there were several rampaging runs that the Classic Lions found difficult to stop.
With the opposition boasting Ma’ama Molitika and Nick Williams in their back-row, Hook’s breakaway trio needed to be on the ball and Thomas delivered alongside Rob McCusker and Colin Charvis.
Mark Taylor
Rewind to the summer of 1999 and Taylor lined up with a 12 on his back for Wales against South Africa with Allan Bateman at 13. Taylor scored the first try at the Millennium Stadium, only for the announcer to give it to Bateman as the pair had swapped shirts seconds before taking the pitch.
They were back together on Friday and wearing the same numbers that they’d sported 23 years earlier.
No try for Taylor this time, but he still looked in good shape and at the age of 49 has even developed a kicking game, spotting space at one point and aiming the ball across field to make 40 metres for his side.
Nick Williams
Left the field immediately after scoring an interception try in the sixth minute, leaving some to wonder whether the big man would go the distance.
But he returned to have something of a stormer.
Another powerhouse charge could have seen him score for a second time, only for Williams to unselfishly send the ball out the backdoor for Michael Paterson to claim the try.
There were more rampaging runs, mixed with moments of skill and also solid tackling.
Very good, then.
Aled Brew
Scored the match-winning try, having early claimed another try with a powerful, swerving run.
Wouldn’t look out of place in a regional team.
Others
Delon Armitage, Richard Carter, Phil Vickery and Michael Paterson were fine performers for the Lions.
