Frank Gordon (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Frank "Genny" Gordon was a Welsh
rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Swansea Rugby Club
. Although never capped for his country he is notable for captaining Swansea over two seasons, including the 1904/05 "invincible" season. Gordon also led Swansea against the first touring New Zealand team in 1906.
as the captain of the first XV. He would captain Swansea over four seasons, when Swansea won the Welsh championship twice, including the 1904/05 "invincible" season when Swansea finished unbeaten by all club opposition. In 1904, with Gordon now into his third season as Swansea captain, he was listed as a replacement centre for the upcoming Wales
encounter with Ireland
, the final match of the 1904 Home Nations Championship
, which happened to be played at Swansea. The present Welsh centre was Swansea team-mate and his vice-captain, Dan Rees
. On the morning of the match Rees informed the Welsh Rugby Union
that he was ineligible to play. This was seen by the Welsh selectors as an attempt by the Swansea club to manouvere their popular captain into the now empty slot in the Welsh team, to provide him with his first international cap in front of their own ground. The selectors acted angrily, and recalled semi-retired Wales captain Gwyn Nicholls
to take the vacant position, rather than be dictated in their actions by the Swansea club. Despite Wales winning the match, Nicholls was treated poorly by the crowd who reportedly threw oranges and mud at him during the team photo. Whether through the perceived actions of his club or not, Gordon never represented Wales at international level.
In late 1905, The Original All Blacks had arrived in Wales as part of their first overseas tour. The last of their encounters in Wales was against Swansea, and except for a narrow defeat in a classic encounter against the National team, had defeated all their opponents, including England, Ireland and Scotland. Swansea was the last match to be played on British soil but few critics gave Swansea any hope of beating the All Blacks. Gordon lead his team in a narrow loss against New Zealand, the All Blacks scoring a dropped goal, while Swansea scored a single try
from Fred Scrine
. In 1905 that left the score 4-3 to New Zealand, by modern standards it would have seen Swansea win 5-3.
After leaving club rugby, Gordon continued to support his old club, and in the encounter between Swansea and Australia
during the Wallabies 1908-09
tour, Gordon was linesman during the match.
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...
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...
forward who played club rugby for Swansea Rugby Club
Swansea 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...
. Although never capped for his country he is notable for captaining Swansea over two seasons, including the 1904/05 "invincible" season. Gordon also led Swansea against the first touring New Zealand team in 1906.
Rugby career
Gordon joined Swansea in 1894, and spent several seasons playing for the "all whites" before succeeding Billy BancroftBilly Bancroft
Billy Bancroft was a Welsh international fullback who played club rugby for Swansea and a county cricketer for Glamorgan, becoming their first professional player in 1895....
as the captain of the first XV. He would captain Swansea over four seasons, when Swansea won the Welsh championship twice, including the 1904/05 "invincible" season when Swansea finished unbeaten by all club opposition. In 1904, with Gordon now into his third season as Swansea captain, he was listed as a replacement centre for the upcoming Wales
Wales 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...
encounter with Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, the final match of the 1904 Home Nations Championship
1904 Home Nations Championship
The 1904 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-second series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 9 January and 19 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, which happened to be played at Swansea. The present Welsh centre was Swansea team-mate and his vice-captain, Dan Rees
Dan Rees
Daniel "Dan" Rees was a Welsh international rugby union centre who played club rugby for Swansea. Thomas was a twice Triple Crown winner, after representing Wales during the 1900 and 1905 Home Nations Championships. Later in his career he switched to professional rugby league, joining Hull...
. On the morning of the match Rees informed the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
that he was ineligible to play. This was seen by the Welsh selectors as an attempt by the Swansea club to manouvere their popular captain into the now empty slot in the Welsh team, to provide him with his first international cap in front of their own ground. The selectors acted angrily, and recalled semi-retired Wales captain Gwyn Nicholls
Gwyn Nicholls
Erith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
to take the vacant position, rather than be dictated in their actions by the Swansea club. Despite Wales winning the match, Nicholls was treated poorly by the crowd who reportedly threw oranges and mud at him during the team photo. Whether through the perceived actions of his club or not, Gordon never represented Wales at international level.
In late 1905, The Original All Blacks had arrived in Wales as part of their first overseas tour. The last of their encounters in Wales was against Swansea, and except for a narrow defeat in a classic encounter against the National team, had defeated all their opponents, including England, Ireland and Scotland. Swansea was the last match to be played on British soil but few critics gave Swansea any hope of beating the All Blacks. Gordon lead his team in a narrow loss against New Zealand, the All Blacks scoring a dropped goal, while Swansea scored a single try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
from Fred Scrine
Fred Scrine
Fred Scrine was a Welsh international rugby union scrum-half who played club rugby for Swansea. Scrine's style of play was as a fast spoiling player and was first capped for Wales in 1899 against England.-Rugby career:...
. In 1905 that left the score 4-3 to New Zealand, by modern standards it would have seen Swansea win 5-3.
After leaving club rugby, Gordon continued to support his old club, and in the encounter between Swansea and Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
during the Wallabies 1908-09
1908-09 Australia rugby union tour of Britain
The 1908-09 Australia rugby union tour of the British Isles was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the Australia national rugby union team against invitational and national teams from England and Wales, as well as several games against sides from North America...
tour, Gordon was linesman during the match.