Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Gareth Edwards, who played scrum-half for the Lions controversial tour to South Africa in 1974, has admitted in an O Flaen dy Lygaid special, made by Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales for S4C, that he is still unsure about the rights and wrongs of taking part.

Speaking on O Flaen dy Lygaid: Llewod 74 about Nelson Mandela's imprisonment on Robben Island, and the Lions' decision to flout the sporting boycott of South Africa, he says: "If you ask me if I feel guilty for how I felt [at the time of the tour] then yes, I do in a way, as I didn't have the full story…

"We all have a better understanding of the situation now," he says of South Africa's turbulent political history. "If we kept him in prison for longer, well maybe now it's time for me to say I'm sorry."

Despite being one of the best wingers in the world at the time, current Lions' Manager Gerald Davies decided not to go on the 1974 tour.

At the time he cited work and family reasons but in the programme he makes clear that he was concerned about apartheid too.

"I considered it, but there were a number of reasons why I couldn't go on that tour – and it was partly because of apartheid. It was a moral issue between me and my conscience," explains the former winger.

Former Wales captain and coach, and a Lions selector at the time, Clive Rowlands, also talks of the rumoured "99 call to action" where if called, every team member would join in the fight.

"It's completely true, it's completely true," he explains. "If we all go into it, he [the ref] couldn't send 15 of us off the field and it also showed the Springboks who was the master."

The fierce fight which broke out during the third test of the tour in Port Elizabeth is remembered as much as the tremendous rugby played on the pitch that day.

Along with these interviews in full, the programme will feature clips of the news on and off the pitch in 1974, offering a taste of South Africa's complex political history.

O Flaen dy Lygaid: Llewod 74, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales on S4C, 8.25pm, Tuesday 19 May 2009. English subtitles available.

SR2