Grand Slam 2005: Twenty years since Welsh rugby ruled

As Welsh rugby reflects on one of its darkest days, 19 March marks the 20th anniversary of surely one of its best.

For Wales supporters, it was an ‘I was there’ moment.

Some 74,376 of them were inside what was then the Millennium Stadium – many more claim to have been – and more than twice that figure were in Cardiff city centre to witness a piece of rugby history.

It had been 27 years since Wales won a Grand Slam and no-one expected that wait to end given they had finished last just two years earlier.

But the rugby gods, a new Welsh coach and a swashbuckling team oozing confidence – personified by a certain player’s silver boots and golden tan – combined to pull off the impossible dream.

In the space of just seven weeks, they captured the nation’s imagination. Heavens, even the sun came out on a celestial spring day for the finale against Brian O’Driscoll’s Ireland.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a game like that in the new stadium and I don’t think it will ever be replicated again,” said ex-number eight Ryan Jones.

So as Welsh rugby reflects on a miserable Six Nations, which was rounded off by a thrashing by England, BBC Sport looks back two decades, to the day Wales returned as a force.