To this day, it remains a curious episode.
There Graham Henry was, head coach of Wales, preparing for his first Five Nations joust against England — Johnson, Hill, Back, Dallaglio, Wilkinson and all, a formidable crew who would go on to win the World Cup four years later, under the stewardship of Clive Woodward.
Wales had beaten France in Paris in their previous game but were still seen as underdogs against their Grand Slam-seeking neighbours in 1999. A couple of months earlier, after all, they had started the championship with defeats by Ireland and Scotland. England, by contrast, were developing into a powerful side who had beaten world champions South Africa five months earlier and put 60 points on Wales the previous season.
They were strongly fancied to win at Wembley.
Then, during the week of the game, an email arrived at the Welsh Rugby Union’s headquarters. Sent from London, it was addressed to Wales’ head coach. In his book, Graham Henry, The X Factor, the New Zealander called it an “amazing letter”.
Fair play, it was more than a bit startling, detailing how the writer had been on a train in London when he heard five men talking about rugby and supposedly detailing the strategy England would take against Wales in the coming game.
The listener began taking notes.
In his book, Henry wrote about England having 'whipped the Welsh' by 60 points a year earlier and claimed they 'plainly didn’t see us as too much of a threat on their march to Five Nations."
He continued: “This attitude appeared to be confirmed by an amazing letter I received in the week prior to the match. Addressed to me, it was emailed to the Welsh Rugby Union from London.”
He then went on to reveal the contents of the missive.
“To Graham Henry, the Welsh rugby coach.
‘Sir,
‘A few days ago I overheard a conversation that you may find of interest. I was on a train to London travelling in first class when I overheard five men talking loudly and annoyingly. They were straddling the aisle and seemed to be celebrating something. Certainly, they were full of themselves. Almost all of the conversation was about rugby, which I must admit I’m not an avid follower of but know a little about.
'The reason I’ve been told to write to you personally relates to what I heard them say about the strategy that England will take against Wales next week.’
‘The main ploy that they have in mind is intimidation. They have singled out Quinnell and Evans for treatment, but Gibbs, Jenkins and others were also mentioned as vulnerable. Quinnell — I’ve been told there are two of them, sorry — they expect to get sent off. They think this will be the easiest thing in the world to do. If not Quinnell, then one of them will be ‘sorted’. They also mentioned Charvis and Sinkinson for attention. They will use Cockerill, Johnson, Blackie {presumably Neil Back) and the captain Dallaglio to effect this.’”
There was more, a lot more, according to Henry.
If the Wales backs had no ball it would be a rout…Howley was only 75 percent fit.
The crux of the conversation, according to Henry’s informant, was that “‘If the Welsh can be intimidated and this Quinnell or someone else is sent off then the game should be won.
“They were so cocky about the Welsh.
"Yours sincerely, AK."
Henry wrote in his book: “An interesting letter, don’t you think? Very obviously the writer was privy to what should have been the private musings of the English management. I referred it to our management but not the players. It didn’t tell me a lot I couldn’t have worked out for myself.
“They obviously didn’t have much regard for our collective intelligence if they believed we hadn’t acted on the indiscipline that ruined our prospects against Ireland. The offenders were given a final warning —any repeat and they would never represent Wales again.”
A couple of decades on, what’s to be made of it all? Were mind games being played, aimed at reining in some of Wales' more indisciplined players?
Was it a way of disconcerting England? Who was A. K., the train traveller taking copious notes?
Who were the five individuals?
Were they just England rugby fans surmising how the Wembley game could go?
Whatever, Henry ran with it all.
Scott Quinnell wasn't sent off in that game and nor was brother Craig.
Scott Gibbs could never be seen as vulnerable to any sort of intimidation while Neil Jenkins boasted nerves of steel.
History tells us that Jenkins kept Wales in the game with one of the all-time great goalkicking displays.
But the ribbons on the Five Nations trophy featured England’s colours as the match headed towards the final whistle.
Then Scott Quinnell juggled the ball from a lineout play, Gibbs rampaged through like ‘the leader in a buffalo stampede’ — to borrow a line from Bill McLaren — and Jenkins stayed ice-cool to convert.
Wales held on for a 32-31 win and Henry’s eyes glazed over in a TV interview.
Oh, and Scotland were crowned final Five Nations champions, denying Woodward’s team.
Wales supporters savoured victory. “To walk around Wembley Stadium and see people crying, it was huge,” Lynn Howells, Henry’s forwards coach that day, later remarked.
Henry’s team were picking up momentum, thereafter heading to Argentina and winning a series and then beating South Africa in Cardiff.
But for the majority, the Wembley win over England was the most memorable day in a remarkable year.
The mysterious A. K. could presumably be counted among them.
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