The match ball from Wales's Grand Slam match v France in Paris on 27th March 1971, the ball a French-made white and black Adidas Wallaby stamped AGREE

The match ball from Wales's Grand Slam match v France in Paris on 27th March 1971, the ball a French-made white and black Adidas Wallaby stamped AGREE F.F.R. Led on the field by Dawes, Wales won their first Grand Slam in 21 years when beating France 9-5 in a tense game at the Stade Colombes in Paris. This was the match ball used in the game that that John Dawes has kept ever since as a souvenir of a momentous game in the history of Welsh rugby. appendix John Dawes (London Welsh, Wales, British Isles Lions and Barbarians) Lots 783 to 785 John Dawes was born at Abercan, 29th June 1940. The centre made his international debut for Wales in 1964 and won a total of 22 caps. Described by commentators as 'one of rugby's great thinkers ... and a master tactician' he captained the Welsh Grand Slam team of 1971, and then became the first Welshman to captain a British Isles Lions touring team leading the Lions to glory in New Zealand in 1971. With this crowning moment Dawes announced his international retirement but he did memorably lead the Barbarians to triumph over the touring All Blacks at Cardiff in 1973 and figured in the move that led to the Gareth Edwards try, considered to be the greatest score of all time. John Dawes went on to become the Welsh coach in the seventies with an incredible record of four successive Triple Crowns and two Grand Slams.