Percy Phillips (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Henry Percy Phillips OBE
(1869 – 26 February 1947) was a Welsh
rugby union
international fly-half who played club rugby for Newport. He won six caps for Wales
and played in all three games of the 1893 Home Nations Championship
which saw Wales lift the Triple Crown
for the first time in the country's history.
Outside rugby, Phillips was a Vice Consul
to Belgium, and one season he managed 26 appearances for Newport despite working much of that time in Switzerland.
's expert passing to secure the scrum-half berth which linked up with Phillips as a specialised runner. Phillips was also used as a running partner with Gould, for Newport and later Wales, breaking shoulder to shoulder with his captain, and using fast inter-passing to confuse defenders.
Phillips was first chosen to represent Wales during the opening game of the 1892 Home Nations Championship
, partnered with Penarth's
George Rowles
. The game was played away at Blackheath against England, and Rowles and Phillips had been brought in as replacements for the Swansea
half-backs brothers Evan
and David James
. Wales lost 17–0 and the next match saw the reintroduction of the James brothers. The James brothers played out the rest of the Championship for Wales, but then both switched codes to play for professional league team Broughton Rangers
. This made the Swansea pair ineligible to play for the Wales team, and created an opening at both halfback positions for the next season.
Phillips was reselected to play for Wales in 1893
, this time partnered with his Newport team-mate Parfitt. The pair played for Wales throughout the 1893 Championship, which saw Welsh victories in all three games, giving Wales the Triple Crown for the very first time. Phillips played his part throughout the tournament, and was instrumental in setting up Gould's second try in the narrow victory over England in the tournament opener at the Cardiff Arms Park
.
Phillips played just two more international games, both as part of the 1894 Home Nations Championship
. Again linking up with Parfitt, Wales lost the first game of the competition, defeated heavily by England. Phillips was selected for the very next game against Scotland, which Wales won 7–0, all points coming from Cardiff's
Dai Fitzgerald
. Phillips was replaced by Ralph Sweet-Escott
for the final game, against Ireland, his international career over.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1869 – 26 February 1947) was a Welsh
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...
international fly-half who played club rugby for Newport. He won six caps 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 played in all three games of the 1893 Home Nations Championship
1893 Home Nations Championship
The 1893 Home Nations Championship was the eleventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 17 January and 11 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
which saw Wales lift the Triple Crown
Triple Crown (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the four national teams of the British Isles who compete within the larger Six Nations Championship: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. If any one team manages to win all their games against the other three they win the...
for the first time in the country's history.
Outside rugby, Phillips was a Vice Consul
Vice Consul
A vice consul is a subordinate officer, authorized to exercise consular functions in some particular part of a district controlled by a consulate....
to Belgium, and one season he managed 26 appearances for Newport despite working much of that time in Switzerland.
Rugby career
Nicknamed 'Sparrow', due to his very light frame, Phillips was a fly-half noted for his excellent attacking play, but was weak defensively and was a poor kicker. Phillips is also recognised as one of the first specialised rugby players in Welsh rugby. Under the captaincy of Arthur 'Monkey' Gould, Newport utilised team-mate Fred ParfittFred Parfitt
Frederick 'Fred' Charles Parfitt was a Welsh international rugby union scrum-half who played club rugby for Newport, regional rugby for Somerset and was capped nine times for Wales...
's expert passing to secure the scrum-half berth which linked up with Phillips as a specialised runner. Phillips was also used as a running partner with Gould, for Newport and later Wales, breaking shoulder to shoulder with his captain, and using fast inter-passing to confuse defenders.
Phillips was first chosen to represent Wales during the opening game of the 1892 Home Nations Championship
1892 Home Nations Championship
The 1892 Home Nations Championship was the tenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 2 January and 5 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
, partnered with Penarth's
Penarth RFC
Penarth Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based since 1924 at The Athletic Field, Lavernock Road, in Penarth, in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales.-Origins and early history:...
George Rowles
George Rowles
George Albert Rowles was a Welsh rugby union international halfback who played club rugby for Penarth. He won a single cap for Wales during the 1892 Home Nations Championship...
. The game was played away at Blackheath against England, and Rowles and Phillips had been brought in as replacements for the 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...
half-backs brothers Evan
Evan James (rugby player)
Evan James was a Welsh rugby half back who played club rugby for Swansea under the rugby union code, and professional rugby league for Broughton Rangers. While playing with Swansea, James was paired with his brother, David James and together they were nicknamed the 'Swansea gems' and the 'Curly...
and David James
David James (rugby player)
David James was a Welsh international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Swansea. While playing with Swansea, James was paired with his brother, Evan James and together they were nicknamed the 'Swansea gems' and the 'Curly haired marmasets'.- Rugby career :James was first capped for...
. Wales lost 17–0 and the next match saw the reintroduction of the James brothers. The James brothers played out the rest of the Championship for Wales, but then both switched codes to play for professional league team Broughton Rangers
Broughton Rangers
Broughton Rangers was a British rugby football, and subsequently a rugby league club. It was based in Broughton, Salford.-History:Broughton Rangers was founded in 1877 as Broughton and added Rangers for its second season...
. This made the Swansea pair ineligible to play for the Wales team, and created an opening at both halfback positions for the next season.
Phillips was reselected to play for Wales in 1893
1893 Home Nations Championship
The 1893 Home Nations Championship was the eleventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 17 January and 11 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
, this time partnered with his Newport team-mate Parfitt. The pair played for Wales throughout the 1893 Championship, which saw Welsh victories in all three games, giving Wales the Triple Crown for the very first time. Phillips played his part throughout the tournament, and was instrumental in setting up Gould's second try in the narrow victory over England in the tournament opener 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...
.
Phillips played just two more international games, both as part of the 1894 Home Nations Championship
1894 Home Nations Championship
The 1894 Home Nations Championship was the twelfth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 6 January and 17 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
. Again linking up with Parfitt, Wales lost the first game of the competition, defeated heavily by England. Phillips was selected for the very next game against Scotland, which Wales won 7–0, all points coming from Cardiff's
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...
Dai Fitzgerald
Dai Fitzgerald
David "Dai" Fitzgerald was a Welsh rugby centre who played club rugby under the union code for Cardiff and later switched to professional rugby league team Batley...
. Phillips was replaced by Ralph Sweet-Escott
Ralph Sweet-Escott
Ralph Bond Sweet-Escott was an English-born international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Cardiff and was capped three times for Wales. Sweet-Escott also played cricket for Glamorgan representing the county in the Minor Counties Cricket Championship...
for the final game, against Ireland, his international career over.