William Gwynn
Encyclopedia
William Gwynn was a Welsh
international rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Swansea
and would later become secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union
. Gwynn was an all-round sportsman and as well as his success on the rugby pitch he also player cricket
for Swansea, of which he became vice-president, and Glamorgan
. Gwynn had also played association football and had captained Battersea College XI through two undefeated seasons. He would later become a referee and would officiate the very first football game between Swansea Town and Cardiff City
.
into the team. He joined the club in 1880 and would captain the team in the 1884/85 and 1885/86 season. Gwynn was first selected to represent Wales in the opening game of the 1884 Home Nations Championship
, against England. Under the captaincy of Charlie Newman
, Wales lost to the English, but to a far close score line than the first two encounters. Gwynn was reselected for the next two Welsh international games, the first against Scotland, where he was partnered with Newman; and then Ireland with new half-back partner William Stadden
. Gwynn should have scored in the Scotland game, but looked for support rather than touch the ball down when he had crossed the Scottish line. Gwynn played in two more games for Wales, both in the 1885 Home Nations Championship
, a loss to England and a draw against Scotland.
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...
forward 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...
and would later become secretary of 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...
. Gwynn was an all-round sportsman and as well as his success on the rugby pitch he also player cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for Swansea, of which he became vice-president, and Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
. Gwynn had also played association football and had captained Battersea College XI through two undefeated seasons. He would later become a referee and would officiate the very first football game between Swansea Town and Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
.
Rugby career
Gould played most of his club rugby with Swansea, following his elder brother DavidDavid Gwynn
David 'Dai' Gwynn was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Swansea and county rugby for Lancashire...
into the team. He joined the club in 1880 and would captain the team in the 1884/85 and 1885/86 season. Gwynn was first selected to represent Wales in the opening game of the 1884 Home Nations Championship
1884 Home Nations Championship
The 1884 Home Nations Championship was the second series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 12 April 1884...
, against England. Under the captaincy of Charlie Newman
Charlie Newman
Charlie Newman was a Welsh international three-quarter who played club rugby for Newport. He was awarded ten caps for Wales and captained the team on six occasions. An original member of the Newport squad he captained the team in the 1882/83 season.-Personal life:Newman was born Newport in 1857 to...
, Wales lost to the English, but to a far close score line than the first two encounters. Gwynn was reselected for the next two Welsh international games, the first against Scotland, where he was partnered with Newman; and then Ireland with new half-back partner William Stadden
William Stadden
William James Wood "Buller" Stadden was a Welsh international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Cardiff and Dewsbury. Stadden won eight caps for Wales over a period of seven years and is most remembered for scoring the winning try in 1890 to give Wales their first victory over England...
. Gwynn should have scored in the Scotland game, but looked for support rather than touch the ball down when he had crossed the Scottish line. Gwynn played in two more games for Wales, both in the 1885 Home Nations Championship
1885 Home Nations Championship
The 1885 Home Nations Championship was the third series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Four matches were played between 3 January and 21 February 1885. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales...
, a loss to England and a draw against Scotland.