Dai Parker
Encyclopedia
David 'Dai' Parker was a Welsh
international rugby union
prop who played club rugby for Swansea
. He won ten caps for Wales
and was selected to play in the 1930 British Lions
tour of New Zealand and Australia
.
. Swansea lost heavily, but when Parker scored with a penalty kick he was the first person to score against the tourists, even though the game was the fifth of the series.
Parker was Swansea's lead scorer over five consecutive seasons between 1925/26 and 1929/30. He was also chosen to captain Swansea in the 1927/28 season.
. The Welsh team saw ten changes from the prior game against Scotland, which Wales had lost 10-35 and Parker was one of six new caps, five of them in the pack. Played in front of the Prince of Wales
at the Cardiff Arms Park
, Wales lost narrowly. The selectors kept faith in Parker and he was chosen to play in the next game, away to France. Wales were victorious, halting a losing streak of four matches, thanks to a drop goal from Vincent Griffiths.
Parker was next selected for Wales to face the same touring New Zealand team he had lost to playing for Swansea in 1924. Under the captaincy of Jack Wetter
, Wales were outclassed by the All Black's speed and combination play. Parker worked tirelessly in the pack along with Steve Morris
and Charlie Pugh
, but were let down by uninspiring back play. Teddy Morgan
, writing in the Western Mail, commented that "The Welsh side hardly deserved a score, though the forwards surpassed themselves."
Parker played the entire 1925 Five Nations Championship
, one of only three players in the pack to hold their position throughout the tournament, the others being Aberavon's
Bryn Phillips
and Llanelli's
Idris Jones
. Although Wales lost three of the four games, Parker scored in two of the games, a conversion in the win over France and a conversion and a penalty goal in a loss to Scotland.
Parker missed the next three Championships, but was reselected for the 1929 tournament
. Parker was back on the score sheet converting one of the two tries in a victory over the French. In the final match of the Championship, Parker converted a try
by Frank Williams
to steal a draw with Ireland. Parker's final international cap was in the opening game of the 1930 campaign
, a draw with England at the Arms Park.
In 1930, Parker was selected to join the British Lions in their tour of Australia and New Zealand. Parker played in all five tests of the tour, scoring a penalty goal in the fourth test against New Zealand in Wellington. On the tour he was often used as a hooker, playing in that position for all four New Zealand tests.
British Lions 1930 1930, 1930, 1930, 1930
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...
prop 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...
. He won ten 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 was selected to play in the 1930 British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
tour of New Zealand and Australia
1930 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia
The 1930 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia was the twelfth tour by a British Isles team and the fifth to New Zealand and Australia...
.
Club career
Parker first played for Swansea in 1923, and in 1924 he was part of the Swansea team that played the 1924 touring New Zealand teamThe Invincibles (rugby union)
The Invincibles was a nickname given to the 1924-25 New Zealand rugby union team which toured the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Canada. The team was captained by Cliff Porter, and numbered among its top players George Nepia and brothers Cyril and Maurice Brownlie.Between September 1924 and...
. Swansea lost heavily, but when Parker scored with a penalty kick he was the first person to score against the tourists, even though the game was the fifth of the series.
Parker was Swansea's lead scorer over five consecutive seasons between 1925/26 and 1929/30. He was also chosen to captain Swansea in the 1927/28 season.
International career
Parker was first chosen to represent Wales in a match against Ireland as part of the 1924 Five Nations Championship1924 Five Nations Championship
The 1924 Five Nations Championship was the tenth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-seventh series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. The Welsh team saw ten changes from the prior game against Scotland, which Wales had lost 10-35 and Parker was one of six new caps, five of them in the pack. Played in front of the Prince of Wales
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
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...
, Wales lost narrowly. The selectors kept faith in Parker and he was chosen to play in the next game, away to France. Wales were victorious, halting a losing streak of four matches, thanks to a drop goal from Vincent Griffiths.
Parker was next selected for Wales to face the same touring New Zealand team he had lost to playing for Swansea in 1924. Under the captaincy of Jack Wetter
Jack Wetter
Jack Wetter DCM was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby predominantly for Newport. He was captain for both his club and country and earned 10 caps for Wales....
, Wales were outclassed by the All Black's speed and combination play. Parker worked tirelessly in the pack along with Steve Morris
Steve Morris (rugby union player)
Steve Morris was a Welsh international rugby union flanker who played club rugby for Cross Keys. A hard man, Morris was extremely physical in the way he played the game, sometimes over physical and he was unafraid to turn to violence if it was warranted. It is reported that he once knocked out a...
and Charlie Pugh
Charlie Pugh
Charles Henry Pugh was a Welsh international rugby union player who played rugby for three notable Welsh clubs, Aberavon, Maesteg and Neath...
, but were let down by uninspiring back play. Teddy Morgan
Teddy Morgan
Edward "Teddy" Morgan was a Welsh international rugby union player. He was a member of the winning Wales team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks and is remembered for scoring the winning try...
, writing in the Western Mail, commented that "The Welsh side hardly deserved a score, though the forwards surpassed themselves."
Parker played the entire 1925 Five Nations Championship
1925 Five Nations Championship
The 1925 Five Nations Championship was the eleventh series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-eighth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
, one of only three players in the pack to hold their position throughout the tournament, the others being Aberavon's
Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh town of Port Talbot, although the club's name refers to the older settlement of Aberavon which lies on the western side of the town...
Bryn Phillips
Bryn Phillips
Brinley "Bryn" Phillips was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s who at representative level played rugby union for Wales, and at club level for Taibach RFC, Aberavon RFC, and Glamorgan Police RFC, playing at Lock, i.e...
and Llanelli's
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
Idris Jones
Idris Jones (rugby player)
Walter Idris Jones CBE was a Welsh international rugby union player. He captained the Wales national rugby union team on one occasion in 1925. Jones played his club rugby for Llanelli RFC.-References:...
. Although Wales lost three of the four games, Parker scored in two of the games, a conversion in the win over France and a conversion and a penalty goal in a loss to Scotland.
Parker missed the next three Championships, but was reselected for the 1929 tournament
1929 Five Nations Championship
The 1929 Five Nations Championship was the fifteenth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the forty-second series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. Parker was back on the score sheet converting one of the two tries in a victory over the French. In the final match of the Championship, Parker converted 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...
by Frank Williams
Frank Williams (rugby player)
Frank L Williams was a Welsh international rugby union centre for Wales who played club rugby for Cardiff, Wakefield and Headingley...
to steal a draw with Ireland. Parker's final international cap was in the opening game of the 1930 campaign
1930 Five Nations Championship
The 1930 Five Nations Championship was the sixteenth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the forty-third series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
, a draw with England at the Arms Park.
In 1930, Parker was selected to join the British Lions in their tour of Australia and New Zealand. Parker played in all five tests of the tour, scoring a penalty goal in the fourth test against New Zealand in Wellington. On the tour he was often used as a hooker, playing in that position for all four New Zealand tests.
International matches played
Wales 1925, 1930 1924, 1925, 1929- 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...
1924, 1925, 1929 1924 1925
British Lions 1930 1930, 1930, 1930, 1930