Charlie Arthur
Encyclopedia
Charles "Charlie" Suckling Arthur (1863 – 12 December 1924) was an English
-born international rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Cardiff
and international rugby for Wales
. Arthur was one of the Wales team to face the first Southern Hemisphere touring parties, the 1888 New Zealand Natives
.
, when George Bowen
was moved to cover the absent Arthur Gould, and Arthur took Bowen's normal position. Under the captaincy of Tom Clapp
, Wales lost the game against Ireland at Lansdowne Road
. Despite the loss, Arthur was chosen for the Wales team to face the touring Māoris. Played at St. Helen's on 22 December 1888, the Swansea
crowd was very hostile towards their own team. The crowd believed that the Swansea backs had been overlooked and booed the Welsh players from other clubs, Arthur and Newport's George Thomas
were picked out for specific ill treatment. Even without the full support of the Welsh crowd, Arthur ended on the winning side with tries from Thomas, Towers and Hannan
.
A week later Arthur was part of the Cardiff team to face the same touring Māoris, who had come back from the Welsh defeat to beat both Swansea
and Newport in the last five days. Captained by Frank Hill
, the Cardiff team faced the tourists on a wet, heavy ground which turned the match into a game controlled by the forwards. Arthur was in the thick of the action, and after a quick line-out he set of on a deceptive run before feeding Norman Biggs
who scored a try. Later on Arthur set up another try when he dodged several players to feed Nicholls and Morgan, who scored a rare joint try. Although the Māoris scored a try, Cardiff finished the match victorious. When the 1889 Championship
began just six weeks later, Arthur was not part of the team, but was given one more cap in the 1891 tournament
. With Gould away on business in the West Indies and Dickie Garrett
unavailable, Arthur was brought in to fill the centre role for the England game. Wales were outplayed by England, and lost 3-7. Although Arthur would never play for Wales again, he was still a major part of his club side, and after Hill, Arthur was made captain of the Cardiff senior side.
Arthur was also an early enthusiast in rugby history. Compiling one of the first rugby union books The Cardiff Rugby Football Club, History and Statistics 1876-1906.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born 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 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 international rugby 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...
. Arthur was one of the Wales team to face the first Southern Hemisphere touring parties, the 1888 New Zealand Natives
1888-1889 New Zealand Native football team
The 1888–1889 New Zealand Native football team was a New Zealand football team that toured Britain, Australia and New Zealand in 1888 and 1889. The team was composed mainly of players of Māori ancestry, although several Pakeha were included in the squad. The tour was a private endeavour, and was...
.
Rugby career
Arthur came to prominence as a rugby player while playing for first class team Cardiff. His first international cap was in the second game of the 1888 Home Nations Championship1888 Home Nations Championship
The 1888 Home Nations Championship was the sixth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Three matches were played between 4 February and 10 March. It was contested by Ireland, Scotland and Wales. England was excluded from the Championship due to their refusal to join the...
, when George Bowen
George Bowen (rugby player)
George Einon Bowen was a Welsh international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Swansea and Llanelli. Bowen won four caps for Wales and also played cricket for Glamorgan. Later in his life he became the Mayor of Kidwelly.Bowen was first selected for Wales on 26 February 1887 in a...
was moved to cover the absent Arthur Gould, and Arthur took Bowen's normal position. Under the captaincy of Tom Clapp
Tom Clapp
Tom Clapp was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport and Nantyglo RFC. He won 14 caps for Wales and captained the team on three occasions...
, Wales lost the game against Ireland at Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
. Despite the loss, Arthur was chosen for the Wales team to face the touring Māoris. Played at St. Helen's on 22 December 1888, the Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
crowd was very hostile towards their own team. The crowd believed that the Swansea backs had been overlooked and booed the Welsh players from other clubs, Arthur and Newport's George Thomas
George Thomas (rugby player)
George Thomas was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Newport and international rugby for Wales...
were picked out for specific ill treatment. Even without the full support of the Welsh crowd, Arthur ended on the winning side with tries from Thomas, Towers and Hannan
Jim Hannan (rugby player)
Jim Hannan was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Newport. A strong tactical forward his scrummaging work was excellent and could pivot the whole scrum around him....
.
A week later Arthur was part of the Cardiff team to face the same touring Māoris, who had come back from the Welsh defeat to beat both 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 Newport in the last five days. Captained by Frank Hill
Frank Hill (rugby player)
Frank Hill was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff. Hill won 15 caps for Wales over a period of ten years and was given the team captaincy on four occasions....
, the Cardiff team faced the tourists on a wet, heavy ground which turned the match into a game controlled by the forwards. Arthur was in the thick of the action, and after a quick line-out he set of on a deceptive run before feeding Norman Biggs
Norman Biggs
Norman Witchell Biggs was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Cardiff and county rugby for Glamorgan. Both Biggs and his brother Selwyn played international rugby for Wales, though they never played together in the same match for Wales...
who scored a try. Later on Arthur set up another try when he dodged several players to feed Nicholls and Morgan, who scored a rare joint try. Although the Māoris scored a try, Cardiff finished the match victorious. When the 1889 Championship
1889 Home Nations Championship
The 1889 Home Nations Championship was the seventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Three matches were played between 2 February and 2 March. It was contested by Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
began just six weeks later, Arthur was not part of the team, but was given one more cap in the 1891 tournament
1891 Home Nations Championship
The 1891 Home Nations Championship was the ninth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 3 January and 7 March...
. With Gould away on business in the West Indies and Dickie Garrett
Dickie Garrett
Richard 'Dickie' Garrett was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Penarth and international rugby for Wales. Garrett was a collier by trade and in 1908 was killed when he was crushed by a coal truck....
unavailable, Arthur was brought in to fill the centre role for the England game. Wales were outplayed by England, and lost 3-7. Although Arthur would never play for Wales again, he was still a major part of his club side, and after Hill, Arthur was made captain of the Cardiff senior side.
Arthur was also an early enthusiast in rugby history. Compiling one of the first rugby union books The Cardiff Rugby Football Club, History and Statistics 1876-1906.
International matches played
Wales 1891- 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...
1888 1888