John Roberts (rugby union)

Last updated

John Roberts
Date of birth(1906-04-04)4 April 1906
Place of birth Toxteth, Liverpool, England
Date of death31 October 1965(1965-10-31) (aged 59)
Place of death Hawick, Scotland
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1927–1928 Cambridge University ()
London Welsh RFC ()
1924–1932 Cardiff RFC ()
1927–1928 Barbarian F.C. ()
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1927–1929 Wales 13 (15)

John Roberts (4 April 1906 – 31 October 1965) was a Welsh international forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University, London Welsh RFC and Cardiff RFC. [1] He won 13 caps for Wales and was also selected to play for invitational touring club the Barbarians. [2]

Contents

Personal history

Roberts was born in Toxteth, Liverpool in 1906. [1] He was educated at Cardiff High School for Boys before matriculating to Cambridge University. [3] Upon leaving university he was ordained into the ministry of the Presbyterian Church. [3] In 1932 he travelled to Amoy in China to undertake missionary work. [3] On returning to Britain he was appointed minister of at Otterburn, Northumberland. [3]

With the outbreak of the Second World War, Roberts served as a lieutenant of the Home Guard in the Otterburn area. He also served in the Royal Observer Corps. [3] 1951 he took up a new post moving to Southdean in the borders of Scotland. [3] Roberts was a former moderator of the Hawick Presbytery and the industrial chaplain to the Scottish knit-wear firm Lyle & Scott. [3]

In his private life he was a keen amateur golfer and was an enthusiastic huntsman, often riding with the Jedburgh pack. [3] He died in Hawick in 1965. [1]

Rugby career

Roberts first came to note as a rugby player while a student representing Cardiff High School. He played for Cardiff RFC while still a teenager, making his first appearance for the club in the 1924–25 season. [4] On entering Cambridge he was selected for the Cambridge University student team and won two sporting Blues, playing in the Varsity matches of 1927 and 1928. [5] In the latter match he faced his younger brother Bill Roberts, who was playing for Oxford. [3]

In 1927 Roberts was selected to play for Wales. He played his first game on 15 January against England as part of the 1927 Five Nations Championship. Despite Wales losing the match, Roberts became a key player for Wales over the next three years and played in 13 consecutive matches. During the 1927 tournament Roberts scored his first international points, with two tries against France in a 25–7 victory. [6] The France game would be Wales' only win in a poor season, and Roberts was on the losing side to both Scotland and Ireland. He finished off the year with another defeat, this time to the touring Waratahs of New South Wales. [7]

The 1928 Five Nations Championship was no better for Wales, and Roberts played in all four games; loses to England, Ireland and France, and a win over Scotland. In the Scotland match, played at Murrayfield, Roberts scored one of three Welsh tries, in a 13–0 victory. [8] The following year Wales fared better, finishing second in the 1929 Championship. Wales started poorly with another lose to England, but in a home match against Scotland, Wales recorded a win. Roberts was on the score-sheet twice with two tries that helped secure the result. [9] This was followed by a win over France a draw away to Ireland. The Ireland game was Roberts last for his country. [1]

Outside the international game, Roberts' club career was dominated by his time representing Cardiff. He played 101 matches for the club and spent a span of eight seasons playing for the team. He also represented London Welsh RFC and on two occasions he played for invitational touring side the Barbarians. [2] [3]

International matches played

Wales

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Gould (rugby union)</span> Wales international rugby union player

Arthur Joseph "Monkey" Gould was a Welsh international rugby union centre and fullback who was most associated as a club player with Newport Rugby Football Club. He won 27 caps for Wales, 18 as captain, and critics consider him the first superstar of Welsh rugby. A talented all-round player and champion sprinter, Gould could side-step and kick expertly with either foot. He never ceased practising to develop his fitness and skills, and on his death was described as "the most accomplished player of his generation".

Hawick Rugby Football Club is an semi-pro rugby union side, currently playing in the Scottish Premiership and Border League. The club was founded in 1885 and are based at Mansfield Park at Hawick in the Scottish Borders.

Henry Thomas Phillips was a Welsh international rugby union lock who played club rugby for Cross Keys and Newport and international rugby for Wales. Phillips was a collier by profession before becoming a police officer, and was the nephew of former international Wales player Harry Day.

The 1897 Home Nations Championship was the fifteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Four matches were played between 9 January and 13 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Wales only completed one match during this championship as the Welsh Rugby Union withdrew from the International Rugby Board in February 1897 due to the Gould Affair, and was therefore ineligible to play any further international matches.

The 1906 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-fourth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 13 January and 17 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rowe Harding</span> British Lions & Wales international rugby union footballer

W. Rowe Harding was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Swansea. An intelligent player, Harding played for several teams at club and international level. In 1926 he attended Cambridge University and played for Cambridge in a varsity match. Rowe retired from rugby at the age of 28 when he was called to the bar, and would later become a County Court judge in 1953. Harding spent his later life connected with all manner of sports. He was Welsh Rugby Union vice-president from 1953 to 1956, chairman and president of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, president of Swansea Lawn Tennis and Squash Rackets Club and patron of Cwmgors RFC.

William Charles "Wick" Powell (1905–1973) was a Welsh international rugby union scrum-half who played club rugby for London Welsh and county rugby for Middlesex. Powell was a powerful passer whose speciality was the reverse pass, though he is often remembered for his varying displays for his country that sometimes would lose as much as win games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Arthur (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

Tom Arthur was a Welsh international rugby union lock who played club rugby for Neath and was capped 18 times for Wales. A tough second row forward with a strong physique, Arthur was often criticised for being over-vigorous. Though his style of play was fairly typical for Welsh rugby at the time.

Harry Peacock was a Welsh international rugby union flanker who played rugby union for Newport. He won six caps for Wales and faced two international touring teams with Newport.

Bernard Turnbull was a Welsh international centre who played club rugby for Cardiff and was capped six times for Wales. Turnbull has been described as a dogged and unimaginative centre, but with the ability to finish off the work of others. Turnbull captained Wales on one occasion in 1927.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Jarman</span> Wales international rugby union footballer

Harry Jarman was a Welsh international forward who played club rugby for Newport and Pontypool. He won four caps for Wales and also played for the British Isles in their 1910 tour of South Africa. In 1928 Jarman died when he threw himself in front of a runaway coal truck which was heading towards a group of playing children.

Jim Lang was a Welsh international rugby union number 8 who played club rugby for Llanelli and Swansea. Whilst with Llanelli he faced two touring Southern Hemisphere teams, the South Africans in 1931 and New Zealand in 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rex Willis</span> British Lions & Wales international rugby union footballer

William Rex Willis was a Welsh international rugby union scrum-half who played club rugby for Cardiff and invitational rugby for the Barbarians. He won 21 caps for Wales and was selected to play in the British Lions on the 1950 tour of Australia and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dai Parker</span> British Lions & Wales international rugby union footballer

Dai Parker was a Welsh international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Swansea. He won ten caps for Wales and was selected to play in the 1930 British Lions tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Edward Perkins Alexander was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and London Welsh and international rugby for Wales. Alexander also represented several cricket teams, including Llandovery College.

Morgan Edward Morgan was a Welsh international prop who played club rugby for Swansea and international rugby for both Wales and the British Lions.

William Joseph Jenkins was a Welsh international forward who played club rugby for Canton RFC and Cardiff. He won four caps for Wales ending on the losing side just once.

William Henry Evans was a Welsh international centre who played club rugby for Llwynypia and Penygraig. He won four caps for Wales playing in all four matches of the 1914 Five Nations Championship.

William Roberts was a Welsh international forward who played club rugby for Oxford University, London Welsh RFC and Cardiff RFC. He won a single cap for Wales in the 1929 Five Nations Championship.

Cecil Clifford Pritchard was an international rugby union hooker who represented Wales on eight occasions and was best associated at club level with Pontypool RFC.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "John Roberts". ESPN. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Player Archive: John Roberts". barbarianfc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jenkins, Pierce & Auty 1991, p. 142.
  4. ↑ Davies 1975, p. 224.
  5. ↑ Marshall & Jordon 1951, p. 255.
  6. ↑ Godwin 1984, p. 165.
  7. ↑ "Wales (3) 8 – 18 (5) Australia". ESPN. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  8. ↑ Godwin 1984, p. 169.
  9. ↑ Godwin 1984, p. 173.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.