Joe Rees
Encyclopedia
Joseph "Joe" Rees was a Welsh
international rugby union
full-back who played club rugby for Swansea
. Rees made his debut for Swansea in 1919 and captained his club in the 1922/23 season. Rees would play 12 times for Wales
, and captained them on one occasion. His brother, William "Billo" Rees, was a rugby league
player who played for Wales and the Great Britain team, and toured Australia.
. It was a ground-breaking game that saw Newport's Jerry Shea
score 16 points and become the first person to achieve an international rugby 'Full House', of all four scoring types. Rees played all four games in the 1920 Five Nations Championship
in which Wales won the competition. After playing three games in the 1921 tournament Rees was selected for the opening game in 1922 against England. During this game Rees scored his first points in a Welsh shirt when he converted two tries; though as Wales scored eight tries the return could have been better. Rees managed a penalty goal against France in 1923, which was the last score he would achieve for his country. The next year, in his last game for Wales against England, Rees was given the captaincy of his country. Wales lost the game 17-9.
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...
full-back who played club rugby for Swansea
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...
. Rees made his debut for Swansea in 1919 and captained his club in the 1922/23 season. Rees would play 12 times 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...
, and captained them on one occasion. His brother, William "Billo" Rees, was a 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...
player who played for Wales and the Great Britain team, and toured Australia.
International rugby career
In 1920 Rees was selected to play against England at St HelensSt Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground
St. Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground is a spectator venue in Swansea, Wales. It is used for both rugby and cricket.It is owned and operated by the City and County of Swansea council and is also used to host the local annual Guy Fawkes night fireworks display.-History:Since the ground opened in...
. It was a ground-breaking game that saw Newport's Jerry Shea
Jerry Shea
Jeremiah "Jerry" Shea was a Welsh international dual-code rugby centre who played club rugby for Newport and Pill Harriers under the rugby union code and later represented Wigan Wasps as a rugby league player. Shea was an all round athlete, and was an accomplished swimmer and professional boxer...
score 16 points and become the first person to achieve an international rugby 'Full House', of all four scoring types. Rees played all four games in the 1920 Five Nations Championship
1920 Five Nations Championship
The 1920 Five Nations Championship was the sixth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship, and the first played since the 1914 Games due to World War I. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the...
in which Wales won the competition. After playing three games in the 1921 tournament Rees was selected for the opening game in 1922 against England. During this game Rees scored his first points in a Welsh shirt when he converted two tries; though as Wales scored eight tries the return could have been better. Rees managed a penalty goal against France in 1923, which was the last score he would achieve for his country. The next year, in his last game for Wales against England, Rees was given the captaincy of his country. Wales lost the game 17-9.