Allen Forward
Encyclopedia
Allen Forward was a Welsh
rugby union
forward who favoured the position of flanker
. Forward played club rugby for Pontypool
and various Police teams. He played in six internationals for Wales
and was part of the 1952 Grand Slam winning side. Forward also played for an invitational touring team, the Barbarians
, and twice met international opposition for Pontypool: South Africa in 1951 and New Zealand in 1954.
near Pontypool
in 1921 to Edwin and Sarah (née Allen). He was the second eldest of nine children and was educated at nearby Varteg School, before attending Abersychan Grammar Technical School
. He entered the police force, and retired a police sergeant.
, which is in the forward section. His unusual surname was noted by South African journalist R.K. Stent, who wrote in 1952, "...in the home pack was a forward, called Forward."
Forward was first selected for the Wales national team as part of the 1951 Five Nations Championship
, filling the role left by Ray Cale
, who had turned professional the previous year. Forward was chosen as a flanker for the second Wales game of the tournament, played away against Scotland. Forward was the only change to the previous team that had easily beaten England two weeks before. Wales crashed to a 19-0 loss to the Scots. Forward was left out for the final two games of the Championship.
During the 1951/52 season, Forward faced the touring South African team twice. His first encounter was as part of a joint Pontypool / Newbridge
team that met the Springboks on 18 October 1951. Forward was only one of two internationals in the joint club side, the other being Don Hayward
. South Africa won 15-6. His second encounter, playing in his usual role as a flanker, was his second international cap for Wales, and his second international defeat. The game was played at the National Stadium in Cardiff and Wales lost 6-3.
Although Forward had not had the best start to his international career, the 1952 Five Nations Championship
would see a reverse in his fortunes as Wales lifted the Championship title and won the Grand Slam
. Forward played in all four Wales' games of the tournament as a flanker, with wins over England (8-6) and Ireland (14-3) away, and Scotland (11-0) and France (9-5) at home. The France game was Forward's final international appearance. The 1951/52 season also saw him chosen for invitational touring team, the Barbarians.
After 1952, Forward continued playing rugby at club level, and for the 1953/54 season he was selected as captain of the senior Pontypool side. He continued in his role as captain, when a joint Pontypool / Cross Keys
team was selected to face the 1952/53 touring New Zealand side. Forward was the only international cap in the joint side, which lost to the All Blacks 19-6. During the second half of the match Forward was almost on the score sheet with a try
, when he pounced on a cross kick in the All Blacks area; but the referee disallowed it.
Forward not only played rugby for Pontypool, but as a police officer, also represented several Police rugby teams. He played at county level for the Monmouth Police, and at country-wide level with the Wales Police and British Police teams.
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...
forward who favoured the position of flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
. Forward played club rugby for Pontypool
Pontypool RFC
Pontypool Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in the town of Pontypool. Pontypool RFC has a long history within Welsh rugby and is one of the most notable clubs, being present at the formation of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1881, but disbanding before the turn of the 19th century...
and various Police teams. He played in six internationals 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 was part of the 1952 Grand Slam winning side. Forward also played for an invitational touring team, the 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...
, and twice met international opposition for Pontypool: South Africa in 1951 and New Zealand in 1954.
Personal information
Forward was born in the village of CwmavonCwmavon, Torfaen
Cwmavon is a small village located near the towns of Abersychan and Blaenavon in the county borough of Torfaen, Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire.- Rural setting :...
near Pontypool
Pontypool
Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales....
in 1921 to Edwin and Sarah (née Allen). He was the second eldest of nine children and was educated at nearby Varteg School, before attending Abersychan Grammar Technical School
Abersychan Comprehensive School
Abersychan Comprehensive School is a state-funded and non-selective comprehensive school in the Pontypool suburb of Abersychan, Wales.-Admissions:Abersychan School has over 930 pupils on roll...
. He entered the police force, and retired a police sergeant.
Rugby career
Forward came to note as a rugby player as a team member of Pontypool. His favoured position was as a flankerFlanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
, which is in the forward section. His unusual surname was noted by South African journalist R.K. Stent, who wrote in 1952, "...in the home pack was a forward, called Forward."
Forward was first selected for the Wales national team as part of the 1951 Five Nations Championship
1951 Five Nations Championship
The 1951 Five Nations Championship was the twenty-second series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-seventh series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played...
, filling the role left by Ray Cale
Ray Cale
William Raymond "Ray" Cale was a dual code rugby international for Wales with the international rugby union and rugby league teams.-Rugby union:...
, who had turned professional the previous year. Forward was chosen as a flanker for the second Wales game of the tournament, played away against Scotland. Forward was the only change to the previous team that had easily beaten England two weeks before. Wales crashed to a 19-0 loss to the Scots. Forward was left out for the final two games of the Championship.
During the 1951/52 season, Forward faced the touring South African team twice. His first encounter was as part of a joint Pontypool / Newbridge
Newbridge RFC
Newbridge RFC are a Welsh rugby union club based in Newbridge, Caerphilly in South Wales. Newbridge RFC was formed in 1888 and gained admission to the WRU in 1911...
team that met the Springboks on 18 October 1951. Forward was only one of two internationals in the joint club side, the other being Don Hayward
Don Hayward
Don Hayward was a Welsh international prop who played club rugby for Newbridge. He won 15 caps for Wales and was selected to play in the British Lions on the 1950 tour of Australia and New Zealand. Hayward is considered to be one of the finest forwards to represent Wales in the early post-war period...
. South Africa won 15-6. His second encounter, playing in his usual role as a flanker, was his second international cap for Wales, and his second international defeat. The game was played at the National Stadium in Cardiff and Wales lost 6-3.
Although Forward had not had the best start to his international career, the 1952 Five Nations Championship
1952 Five Nations Championship
The 1952 Five Nations Championship was the twenty-third series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-eighth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played...
would see a reverse in his fortunes as Wales lifted the Championship title and won the Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
. Forward played in all four Wales' games of the tournament as a flanker, with wins over England (8-6) and Ireland (14-3) away, and Scotland (11-0) and France (9-5) at home. The France game was Forward's final international appearance. The 1951/52 season also saw him chosen for invitational touring team, the Barbarians.
After 1952, Forward continued playing rugby at club level, and for the 1953/54 season he was selected as captain of the senior Pontypool side. He continued in his role as captain, when a joint Pontypool / Cross Keys
Cross Keys RFC
Cross Keys RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh village of Crosskeys. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.- History :...
team was selected to face the 1952/53 touring New Zealand side. Forward was the only international cap in the joint side, which lost to the All Blacks 19-6. During the second half of the match Forward was almost on the score sheet with 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...
, when he pounced on a cross kick in the All Blacks area; but the referee disallowed it.
Forward not only played rugby for Pontypool, but as a police officer, also represented several Police rugby teams. He played at county level for the Monmouth Police, and at country-wide level with the Wales Police and British Police teams.