Charlie Pritchard
Encyclopedia
Captain Charlie Pritchard (1882–1916) was a Welsh
international rugby union
player. He was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks
. He played club rugby for Newport RFC and county rugby for Monmouthshire
.
. He spent his entire rugby career with Newport and during the 1905/06 season was made vice-captain; but after the captain Wyatt Gould
was unable to fulfil his duties, Pritchard acted as stand-in captain. The next season he was given the captaincy, a role he held for three consecutive seasons.
against Ireland in 1904, while playing club rugby for Newport. Pritchard would play in a further 13 internationals including the game against the famous 1905 All Black touring team. Although all the Welsh players on the day played their part in the victory over the New Zealanders, Pritchard was commended for his all out defensive play and continual heavy tackling against the All Blacks. He was seen as the star of the Welsh pack and was 'always in the thick of the fight'; fellow Welsh international George Travers
would sum up Pritchard's aggressive play against the All Blacks as 'He knocked 'em down like nine pins.'
Pritchard would score his only international try in a 16-3 win against England in a home nations match on January 13, 1906. After a serious injury in 1908 he returned to the Welsh side in the 1909/10 season and played his final game against England in 1910.
as a captain in the 12th Battalion. On August 13, 1916 he was involved in manoeuvers to capture prisoners from German trenches. Although the raid was successful in its objective Pritchard was seriously wounded and brought to No 1. Casualty Clearing Station. His last reported words were to ask if they had got the "Hun", and when told they had, he replied 'Well, I have done my bit.' Pritchard died of his wounds the next day without leaving the Station.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. He played club rugby for Newport RFC and county rugby for Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire County RFC
Monmouthshire County RFC is a Welsh rugby union club that manages an invitational team, known as Monmouthshire that originally played rugby at county level...
.
Rugby career
Pritchard joined Newport in 1901, and on 25 January played his first senior game, facing SwanseaSwansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
. He spent his entire rugby career with Newport and during the 1905/06 season was made vice-captain; but after the captain Wyatt Gould
Wyatt Gould
Edward Wyatt Gould was a Welsh rugby union player who also represented Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics. Gould captained his club side, Newport RFC, for a single season, and is best known as the younger brother of Welsh rugby superstar Arthur "Monkey" Gould-Rugby:Gould came from a notable...
was unable to fulfil his duties, Pritchard acted as stand-in captain. The next season he was given the captaincy, a role he held for three consecutive seasons.
International career
Pritchard made his debut for WalesWales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
against Ireland in 1904, while playing club rugby for Newport. Pritchard would play in a further 13 internationals including the game against the famous 1905 All Black touring team. Although all the Welsh players on the day played their part in the victory over the New Zealanders, Pritchard was commended for his all out defensive play and continual heavy tackling against the All Blacks. He was seen as the star of the Welsh pack and was 'always in the thick of the fight'; fellow Welsh international George Travers
George Travers (rugby player)
George "Twyber" Travers was a Welsh international hooker who played club rugby for Pill Harriers and Newport Rugby Football Club. He won 25 caps for Wales between 1903 and 1911....
would sum up Pritchard's aggressive play against the All Blacks as 'He knocked 'em down like nine pins.'
Pritchard would score his only international try in a 16-3 win against England in a home nations match on January 13, 1906. After a serious injury in 1908 he returned to the Welsh side in the 1909/10 season and played his final game against England in 1910.
International games played
Wales 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910 1910 1904, 1906, 1907 1905 1905, 1906, 1907 1906Military service and death
During World War I Pritchard joined the South Wales Borderers and in June 1916 he was transferred to the Western FrontWestern Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
as a captain in the 12th Battalion. On August 13, 1916 he was involved in manoeuvers to capture prisoners from German trenches. Although the raid was successful in its objective Pritchard was seriously wounded and brought to No 1. Casualty Clearing Station. His last reported words were to ask if they had got the "Hun", and when told they had, he replied 'Well, I have done my bit.' Pritchard died of his wounds the next day without leaving the Station.