Rugby league history made in Aberdare

Aberdare holds the distinction of hosting the first fully-fledged rugby league international on 1 January, 1908. The Northern Union were desperate to create international competition and tried by playing England v Other Nationalities. Welsh and Scottish players made up ‘Other Nationalities’ and beat England in the first game.
But in 1907 a professional version of the “All Blacks” rugby team from New Zealand (nicknamed the All Golds by Australian press) toured England in what became the first set of international games played under the new NU rules.
The All Golds had not played under the Northern Union rules and underwent a week of intensive training. The first Wales international league game took place on New Years Day, 1908, against the All Golds, thus becoming the first fully fledged rugby league international between two countries. Wales went on to defeat New Zealand 9-8, the winning try scored by former Wales rugby union international Dai Jones, who had played in the 1905 win over the All Blacks. Dai Jones then went on to play for Great Britain in the first rugby league ‘Test Match’ against New Zealand in Leeds. The Northern Union won with five Welshmen in the side.