THE man who reached out an arm to score the try that beat the All Blacks on Stradey Park's most famous day in 1972 says he still has his hands firmly on the match ball.

Former Llanelli centre Roy Bergiers contacted the Post's sister paper, the Llanelli Star, following news that a match ball was about to be put up for auction.

Llanelli pensioner Margaret Richards, of Derwen Street, announced this week that she was considering selling off the ball which she won after buying a raffle ticket while at the game 38 years ago this October.

But Mr Bergiers, the former centre who lined up alongside the legendary Ray Gravell in midfield that day, said he intercepted the match ball on the final whistle after the 9-3 victory.

Mr Bergiers, who lives in Henfwlch, Carmarthen, said: "As I was walking off the pitch Ken Jones, the club secretary, was putting the match balls in a sack and I asked him if I could have one."

Explaining why he got in touch to put the record straight, the 59-year-old said of Mrs Richard's ball, which is also autographed: "As players there were so many balls that we signed. There was one on display for a while in the Plume of Feathers pub in Carmarthen."

The famous brown leather Gilbert ball, which besides the try was sent over the Stradey Posts for an Andy Hill penalty and Phil Bennett conversion, is not the only souvenir from that never-to-be-forgotten day in his possession.

He said: "The club gave me the metre square of turf where I scored after the final game at Stradey Park. It's incorporated in my lawn now in Carmarthen."

Mrs Richards said: "Apparently there were three match balls on the day.

"One went to Roy Bergiers, who scored the one try, and we thought the other had gone to the Scarlets, but apparently they don't have one."

Graham Budd, a specialist auctioneer in the field of sporting memorabilia, who handles sales for Sotheby's, said the ball could be worth up to £2,000.

"I'm sure it would attract a lot of interest, especially if it is signed by both teams," he added.