AS Wales thankfully defeated England in the Six Nations on Saturday, Telegraph Sport thought this humorous, but wonderful true story, which caused a big stir in the national press and TV in the late 1950s, would be a very fitting tribute to one of Pembrokeshire's finest characters Fred Mathias who has sadly passed away.

The Pembrokeshire sporting community was saddened at the loss of Fred Mathias last week, aged 72.

Fred was a former giant in the world of point-to-pointing, riding 91 winners in a career which started in 1946 and ran into the early 60s.

Fred was also a gritty hooker with Pembroke Rugby Club in his younger days and it was in the oval-ball game that he hit the national headlines for a light-hearted prank.

As long ago as 1958 he sawed down the cross bar at Twickenham as a souvenir after Wales had drawn 3-3 with mighty England and had been denied victory when a long-range penalty from classy Llanelli full back Terry Davies hit the bar at the North End.

Fred was still a boarder at Haverfordwest Grammar School when he started his riding career in 1946 at Flemington, and his family was a great help to the South Pembs Hunt when they moved their point-to-point to Lydstep.

Along with other farmers, the family allowed them to build the superb course on part of their land at Norchard Farm.

He was quickly to make a name for himself as a fearless rider and Dennis Reed, that doyen of horsemen from Trevayne Farm, New Hedges, recalls that Fred once rode four winners in five rides at Lydstep on Easter Monday, 1956, the year that Fred shared the Welsh Championship with Ted Greenway, a Cheshire vet.

Dennis, in our 'Sports Folio' article on him, said that he had three heroes in his sporting career; Lester Piggott, Fred Winter and Fred Mathias, such was the esteem in which he held the latter Fred, who had been leader of the local Young Farmers when Dennis was a lad, and could reel off all Fred's riding feats, of which there were many.

He could also vividly recall the time in 1958 when Fred had been to Sandown Races and was back in London that evening alongside thousands of rugby followers who had seen Wales denied by the crossbar at Twickenham and in a light-hearted conversation with English revellers was dared to take revenge on the woodwork.

Never one to refuse a challenge, Fred, brother-in-law Brian Attwell and Dave Morris, another pal from Ruislip, gained access to the ground and Fred took a three foot length as a souvenir.

Amazingly, the trio were having a cup of tea in the Cotswolds on the way home and in walked Terry Davies, on his way home from the match, who signed the piece of crossbar!

The story was written about in all the national papers and Viv Hay, another great character from Pembroke Dock, who had been at the game, suggested this tribute to Fred and even supplied the newspaper article, which he has kept to this day.

Fred was interviewed by Cliff Mitchelmore on 'Tonight' and when Terry Davies, who was a timber merchant, offered to replace the bar from his stock the RFU showed they understood the good-natured humour of the event by saying that they already had one in stock, 'for emergency use'.

Fred placed the souvenir at the Abbey Country Club and then with his old pal Maurice Cole at Cresselly Quay, where it still resides as a tribute to a time in rugby where there was more fun and genuine characters like Fred.

As Maurice said, "I knew Fred for many years and he always gave good advice if I had a runner in the point to point. He will be sorely missed."

Fred is survived by his wife Diana, who was also an accomplished point-to-pointer, sons Richard, Philip and Michael, and everyone in local sport will extend their condolences at their sad loss.

Dennis Reed described Fred as a great friend, a real personality. "He was simply a wonderful man," he said.