David Watts (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
David Watts was a Welsh
international rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Maesteg
. He won four caps for Wales
, all in 1914 and may have been awarded more, but his career was cut short by the outbreak of World War I.
. His first game was on the 17 January in a game against England at Twickenham
. Under the captaincy of Jenkin Alban Davies
, Wales lost the opening game but won the final three games of the tournament. Of all Watts' matches, the most notable was the final game at the Balmoral Showgrounds against Ireland. The game was an overly violent affair, after members of both packs ran into each other the night before the game. The Welsh pack, of which Watts was part off, was named the 'Terrible Eight' by newspapers after the game. Watts played one final game for his country, in an exhibition game against the Barbarians
in 1915. Again led by Alban Davies, Watts turned out in the match played to boost recruitment for the Welsh Guards
, though the game is not recognised as a full international.
The game against Ireland was the final Welsh international game before the outbreak of World War I. During the war Watts joined the King's Shropshire Light Infantry as part of the 7th Battalion, reaching the rank of corporal. He was killed in action at Bazentin Ridge in France in 1916.
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 Maesteg
Maesteg RFC
Maesteg Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the town of Maesteg, South Wales. The club presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union Division One West and is a feeder club for the Ospreys.-Club history:...
. He won four 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...
, all in 1914 and may have been awarded more, but his career was cut short by the outbreak of World War I.
Rugby career
Watts game to prominence in Welsh rugby when he was part of the Maesteg team that won the Glamorgan Challenge Cup in 1912. In 1914 Watts was selected to represent Wales as part of the Five Nations Championship1914 Five Nations Championship
The 1914 Five Nations Championship was the fifth 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-second series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. His first game was on the 17 January in a game against England at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
. Under the captaincy of Jenkin Alban Davies
Jenkin Alban Davies
Jenkin Alban Davies was a Welsh international rugby union player.-Life:Davies was born in Aberaeron, Wales. He was educated at Jesus College, Oxford but did not win a "Blue". He first played for Swansea RFC in 1910. Davies played for the Wales national rugby union team on seven occasions in the...
, Wales lost the opening game but won the final three games of the tournament. Of all Watts' matches, the most notable was the final game at the Balmoral Showgrounds against Ireland. The game was an overly violent affair, after members of both packs ran into each other the night before the game. The Welsh pack, of which Watts was part off, was named the 'Terrible Eight' by newspapers after the game. Watts played one final game for his country, in an exhibition game against 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...
in 1915. Again led by Alban Davies, Watts turned out in the match played to boost recruitment for the Welsh Guards
Welsh Guards
The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division.-Creation :The Welsh Guards came into existence on 26 February 1915 by Royal Warrant of His Majesty King George V in order to include Wales in the national component to the Foot Guards, "..though the order...
, though the game is not recognised as a full international.
The game against Ireland was the final Welsh international game before the outbreak of World War I. During the war Watts joined the King's Shropshire Light Infantry as part of the 7th Battalion, reaching the rank of corporal. He was killed in action at Bazentin Ridge in France in 1916.