From the match programme:

"WELCOME TO THE AUSTRALIANS"

"From Newport:"

"It is a pleasure and a privilege to extend a warm welcome to our visitors today, for with them they bring great friendliness and sportsmanship."

"The Australians leaning towards fast, open rugby is always welcome in Wales, and in hoping that todays game will rank with the great matches between us in the past, we say in all sincerity - may the best team win."

"PHILIP HILL, Esq.,"

"Chairman of Newport R.F.C."

"From New Zealand :"

"It gives me the greatest pleasure on the occasion of the Newport fixture against the touring Australian side to renew acquaintances, if only by way of this programme, with our thousands of Welsh friends who did much for making our 1963/4 tour the pleasant memory it will always remain. I have spoken many times to Frank Kilby, Neal McPhail and the other members of our Touring party who without exception regard the four months we spent in the U.K. as the greatest days in our rugby lives and very prominent in our thoughts are our memories of Wales."

"I shall never forget the game played that day at Rodney Parade. Here for the first time we met the Welsh fervour and dedication that has made their rugby a legend. Without doubt Newport that day was one of the best prepared and best drilled sides we met on the tour. They played to a carefully prepared plan, testing our weaknesses and nullifying our strengths. Each man did his job splendidly and on the day there was no doubt as to which was the better side. I wish the members of this team all the good fortune they deserve in the match against Australia. After saying that, I hasten to express to John Thornett my hopes that they have a grand game and a wonderful Tour."

"On behalf of our 1963/4 team, my fond greetings to you all."

"WILSON WHINERAY,"

"Captain of the 1963/64 All Blacks."

"From South Africa :"

"May you as spectators and players see and experience one of those extra?ordinary rugby games which one normally hears about, but rarely sees or plays in."

"I am convinced that both Newport and Australia will bestow great honour upon the game of rugby on the 23rd. May the game of rugby benefit by your encounter."

"The Springboks will never forget Newport or the Australians. Newport in particular for the game in 1960 when our forwards were defeated and we should have lost the game and the Australians for their friendship during their tour in South Africa in 1963."

"Good luck to you all and in particular to the two teams."

"AVRIL MALAN,"

"Captain of the 1960/61 Springboks."

"From Fiji :"

"It was indeed a privilege and a pleasure for the Fiji Rugby Union Team to have been invited to do a three weeks tour of Wales in 1964. The tour is now a dream but a very pleasant one. We still cherish very vivid memories of our game at Newport, for it was really and truly an extremely exciting one."

"I am sure you know how much we enjoyed what we tried to do on the tour: play robust and open rugby football as a game and leave the public to enjoy and judge."

"We were pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming welcome, support and hospitality we received wherever we played, more than that, the heartwarming appreciation of the Welsh crowds, stemming from the Welsh Rugby Football Union to which our gratitude goes for making the experience possible."

"My only wish that the game against the Australians will prove as enjoyable exciting and as close as ours was in 1964, for it is the game that really counts."

"EDWARD CAKOBAU,"

"Manager of the 1964 Fijians."

The game itself:

This closely fought encountered failed to live up to pre-match expectations as the Australians played within themselves to close down the game and take no chances that might have led to them conceding points.

Australian winger Boyce was first on the score sheet with an early try which was cancelled out by a David Watkins penalty. After this, chances were few and far between.

Newport lost both of their centres during the course of the game and finished with only thirteen players on the field. Gordon Britton received a very nasty accidental blow to the head and had to be revived by club Doctor John Miles after he suffered convulsions.

Following this game David Watkins lost his place in the Welsh XV to face the tourists. He was replaced by Barry John who gained his first cap. Dai was to leave Newport soon afterwards and head North for further fame and also fortune in the Rugby League colours of Salford.

The Newport "terrors" performance in  this somewhat dour game was reported in The Times on 24th November 1966 as follows:-

"TOUR MATCH"

"Australians miss vital kick against Newport"

"Newport 3 pts., Australians 3"

"Beset as they are with injuries, the Australians will surely not be displeased to have secured a draw at Newport, traditionally terrors for the best of touring sides. What is more the Australians scored the only try of the match, and further, they nearly scored the winner near the end. But when that is said, everything cheerful has been said."

"Neither side can look back on this match with satisfaction. It is difficult from the touchline to apportion discredit in these cases. The first late tackle came from Newport. The first punch was thrown by an Australian. The most flagrant kick at a prone body - or, to be precise, at its head - came from Newport."

"SHORT PASS"

"Yet at the end it was Newport who were two men short, with both their centres off the field. It must be added that the more serious of these injuries - it was feared that Britton had broken a leg - seemed to be no more than a stroke of cruel luck. However, in an atmosphere of the kind which this match generated, serious injuries are likely to occur, and the wonder was there were not more of them."

"The power of the Australian backs is appreciated, but in this match they were not often an attacking force. Their forwards did not do badly for possession, although they could not match Price and Morris in the line-out. But Hipwell, plucky though he is, has a short pass, and Hawthorne was receiving the ball and the Newport back row at much about the same time."

"In the circumstances, he usually chose to kick, and so, less forgivably, did D. Watkins for Newport. There were some attempts by Newport to open the game in the second half, but they usually started a long way from the line, and the Australian defence, with Marks repeatedly hauling down the dangerous Britton, was too good."

"Australia's try came after seven minutes. A kick by D. Watkins was charged down near his own line, and Boyce went over in the right-hand corner. Lenehan, who is not kicking well just now, could not convert it. Just before the half hour he missed a possible penalty at goal. Almost at once D. Watkins succeeded with one for Newport. He had previously been close with several long-range attempts. Thus Australia, instead of leading 6 - 0 were pegged back to 3 - 3, and in retrospect it can be seen that this was the turning point."

"The second half was mostly an interminable process of mauling and kicking, which at one point stirred the crowd to a slow handclap. Then suddenly Cardy was away on the left, kicking over the full back's head. He was tackled, without the ball, from behind. His kick bounced into touch - otherwise the referee would presumably have awarded a penalty try. As it was, he gave a kick at goal, and Lenehan missed it. It was just as well. Nobody really deserved to win."

"NEWPORT.- J. Anthony; S. J. Watkins, G. Britton, D. Cornwall, D. Perrott; D. Watkins, H. Jones; R. Perrins, V. Perrins, M. Webber, B. Price, W. Morris, K. Poole, P. Watts, A. Thomas."

"AUSTRALIANS.- J. Lenehan; S. Boyce, P. Gibbs, R. Marks, A. Cardy; P. Hawthorne, J. Hipwell; J. Thornett, P. Johnson, J. Miller, P. Crittle, R. Teitzel, M. Purcell, J. O'Gorman, D. O'Callaghan."

"REFEREE.- D. M. Hughes (Llanelli)."