Viv Huzzey
Encyclopedia
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.
a season. A popular player he worked well in partnership with Welsh rugby legend Gwyn Nicholls
for both Cardiff and later for Wales. In 1900 at a general meeting for Cardiff Rugby Club, Nicholls and Huzzey were the only two names put forward for the position of captain for the next season. Nicholls had been the captain the previous two seasons, and Huzzey his vice, deputising well when Nicholls was absent. At the meeting Nicholls announced he was removing from contention to allow Huzzey the role, which caused the members to lobby Nicholls to change his mind in a very emotional charged situation. Nicholls did so and was re-elected. Huzzey felt betrayed by this move, as it was believed Huzzey would have otherwise been selected. Huzzey took umbrage and in September 'Went North', joining rugby league
side Oldham RLFC
.
. This was Wales's first match after their exile caused by the Gould Affair, but the team had not lost form and beat Ireland 11-3, with Huzzey scoring one of two tries. He was back for Wales against England on 2 April and although Wales lost, Huzzey played well scoring all the Welsh points with a try and a drop goal. Huzzey was back the next season in the 1899 Home Nations Championship
and in the first game against England at St Helens
, Wales were rampant; Willie Llewellyn
scored four tries on his debut, and Huzzey scoring two tries himself. Huzzey's last two international matches against Ireland and Scotland saw him on the losing side. It is unknown if Huzzey would have won further caps as his decision to switch to the professional game of rugby league made him ineligible for further selection.
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...
wing 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 won five 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...
. Huzzey was also an international baseball player.
Club career
Huzzey was a fast wing with a strong scoring record, averaging around twenty triesTry
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...
a season. A popular player he worked well in partnership with Welsh rugby legend 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"....
for both Cardiff and later for Wales. In 1900 at a general meeting for Cardiff Rugby Club, Nicholls and Huzzey were the only two names put forward for the position of captain for the next season. Nicholls had been the captain the previous two seasons, and Huzzey his vice, deputising well when Nicholls was absent. At the meeting Nicholls announced he was removing from contention to allow Huzzey the role, which caused the members to lobby Nicholls to change his mind in a very emotional charged situation. Nicholls did so and was re-elected. Huzzey felt betrayed by this move, as it was believed Huzzey would have otherwise been selected. Huzzey took umbrage and in September 'Went North', joining 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...
side Oldham RLFC
Oldham Roughyeds
Oldham Roughyeds is an English professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Championship One. Oldham is one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895....
.
International career
Huzzey gained his first international cap against Ireland on 18 March 1898 at Limerick under the captaincy of 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....
. This was Wales's first match after their exile caused by the Gould Affair, but the team had not lost form and beat Ireland 11-3, with Huzzey scoring one of two tries. He was back for Wales against England on 2 April and although Wales lost, Huzzey played well scoring all the Welsh points with a try and a drop goal. Huzzey was back the next season in 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....
and in the first game against England at St Helens
St 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...
, Wales were rampant; Willie Llewellyn
Willie Llewellyn
William Morris "Willie" Llewellyn was a Welsh international rugby union player. He captained Wales in 1905 and London Welsh in 1902. He was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks, toured with the British Isles to Australasia in 1904 and won three Triple Crown...
scored four tries on his debut, and Huzzey scoring two tries himself. Huzzey's last two international matches against Ireland and Scotland saw him on the losing side. It is unknown if Huzzey would have won further caps as his decision to switch to the professional game of rugby league made him ineligible for further selection.
International matches played
Wales 1898, 1899- 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 1899