Fred Cornish
Encyclopedia
Frederick "Fred" Henry Cornish (1876 – 27 April 1940) was an English
-born rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Cardiff
and international rugby for Wales
. Cornish 'Went North' in 1899 switching to rugby league
, joining Hull.
Stars, but before the end of the century Cornish became a member of first class Welsh team Cardiff RFC
, and during the 1896/97 season was selected to play for the Welsh national team, under the two year residancy ruling. Cornish was brought into the pack, along with fellow first caps, Jack Rhapps
and Dick Hellings
to face England as part of the 1897 Home Nations Championship
. Wales won the game in style, but it would be the only international the team would play that year, as an argument broke out between the Home Unions surrounding professionalism, now known as the Gould Affair. The next season, with Arthur Gould now forced into retirement, Wales were readmitted into the Championship. The only two members of the 1897 pack to return for the 1898 Championship
were Cornish and Hellings. Despite a large influx of new caps, Cornish was now playing in a Wales squad dominated with his Cardiff team mates; including captain Selwyn Biggs
at centre and a threequarters trio of Jones
, Nicholls
and Huzzey
. The Welsh were again victorious winning the opening match against Ireland 11-3, but Cornish found himself in a losing international for the first time when Wales lost to England in the final game of the Championship.
Towards the end of the 1897/98 season, Cornish was part of the Cardiff team that faced the touring Barbarians
as part of their annual Easter tour. Cardiff won the game 6-0, with Cornish and wing Huzzey scoring a try
each.
The 1899 Home Nations Championship
saw the Welsh selectors again overhaul the pack, with five new caps. Cornish was not among those reselected, which saw a spectacular win over the English team; but after a heavy away defeat to Scotland in the next match, Cornish was back in favour for the Irish encounter at the Cardiff Arms Park
. Cornish, brought in as a replacement for Tom Dobson
, would play his last international in this match, with Wales losing to a single Gerald Doran try.
Cornish may have been selected for further international games, but in August 1899 he switched rugby codes joining Hull rugby league team, preventing his return to the union code of rugby.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born 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 Cardiff
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
and international rugby for 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...
. Cornish 'Went North' in 1899 switching to rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
, joining Hull.
Rugby career
Born in England in 1876, Cornish is first recorded playing rugby for his hometown club, Bridgwater & Albion. He moved to Wales and joined the GrangetownGrangetown, Cardiff
Grangetown is a community in the south of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is one of the largest districts in the south of the city and is bordered by Riverside, Canton and Butetown. The River Taff winds its way through the area...
Stars, but before the end of the century Cornish became a member of first class Welsh team Cardiff RFC
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
, and during the 1896/97 season was selected to play for the Welsh national team, under the two year residancy ruling. Cornish was brought into the pack, along with fellow first caps, Jack Rhapps
Jack Rhapps
John "Jack" Rhapps was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Penygraig and international rugby for Wales...
and Dick Hellings
Dick Hellings
Richard 'Dick' Hellings was an English born rugby union forward who played international rugby for Wales and club rugby for Llwynypia. Hellings was noted for his strength built from years cutting coal as a Rhondda miner...
to face England as part of the 1897 Home Nations Championship
1897 Home Nations Championship
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 won the game in style, but it would be the only international the team would play that year, as an argument broke out between the Home Unions surrounding professionalism, now known as the Gould Affair. The next season, with Arthur Gould now forced into retirement, Wales were readmitted into the Championship. The only two members of the 1897 pack to return for the 1898 Championship
1898 Home Nations Championship
The 1898 Home Nations Championship was the sixteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 5 February and 2 April. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
were Cornish and Hellings. Despite a large influx of new caps, Cornish was now playing in a Wales squad dominated with his Cardiff team mates; including captain Selwyn Biggs
Selwyn Biggs
Selwyn Hanam Biggs was a Welsh international rugby union fly-half who played club rugby for Cardiff and county rugby for Glamorgan. Both Biggs and his brother Norman played international rugby for Wales, though they never played in the same match for Wales together. Biggs was described at the time...
at centre and a threequarters trio of Jones
Pussy Jones
W. "Pussy" Jones was a rugby union centre who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales.-Rugby career:Jones joined Cardiff in the 1895-96 season and was partnered at centre with Gwyn Nicholls...
, 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"....
and Huzzey
Viv Huzzey
Viv Huzzey was a Welsh rugby union wing who played club rugby for Cardiff and won five caps for Wales. Huzzey was also an international baseball player.-Club career:...
. The Welsh were again victorious winning the opening match against Ireland 11-3, but Cornish found himself in a losing international for the first time when Wales lost to England in the final game of the Championship.
Towards the end of the 1897/98 season, Cornish was part of the Cardiff team that faced the touring Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
as part of their annual Easter tour. Cardiff won the game 6-0, with Cornish and wing Huzzey scoring a 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...
each.
The 1899 Home Nations Championship
1899 Home Nations Championship
The 1899 Home Nations Championship was the seventeenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 18 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
saw the Welsh selectors again overhaul the pack, with five new caps. Cornish was not among those reselected, which saw a spectacular win over the English team; but after a heavy away defeat to Scotland in the next match, Cornish was back in favour for the Irish encounter at the Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
. Cornish, brought in as a replacement for Tom Dobson
Tom Dobson
Tom Dobson was a Scottish-born rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. His brother George Dobson was also a rugby player who represented Cardiff and Wales.-Rugby career:...
, would play his last international in this match, with Wales losing to a single Gerald Doran try.
Cornish may have been selected for further international games, but in August 1899 he switched rugby codes joining Hull rugby league team, preventing his return to the union code of rugby.
International matches under the union code
Wales 1897, 1898- IrelandIreland national rugby union teamThe 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...
1898, 1899