Frank Hill (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
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.
Hill was baptised as Alperus Frank Hill according to parish records in Llandaff
, and was later educated at Clifton College
. He was a solicitor by trade, and had a practice on Cardiff
High Street.
. Under the captaincy of Newport's Charlie Newman
, the game was a dull scorless draw caused by Welsh attempts to kill the game at any opportunity. Hill played in both Welsh matches of the 1886 Championship
, but was not chosen during the next year's tournament. In 1888 Hill experienced his first international win, when he was part of the Wales team that beat Scotland at Rodney Parade
. Wales won by a single try, scored by Thomas Pryce-Jenkins
in the first half before using the same spoiling tactics they employed in 1885 to prevent Scotland from scoring.
In December 1888, Hill was selected to captain Wales against the first Southern Hemisphere touring team to Britain when he faced the New Zealand Māoris
. Wales employed the four threequarters system during the game, the first time since it was abandoned after the failure of the tactic against Scotland in 1886. The Welsh were victorious and Hill was given the captaincy for the opening game of the 1889 Home Nations Championship
to Scotland. Wales lost the game and Hill was replaced for the final game of the season to Ireland by Daniel Griffiths
. Hill regained his position and his captaincy in the first match of the 1890 tournament
, though missed the away match to England. When he was reselected for the final game of the championship the captaincy was passed to Arthur Gould.
Hill missed the next two tournaments, before playing the entirety of the 1893 tournament
which saw Wales win all their matches to take the Triple Crown
for the first time. The next season was Hill's last as an international player and although only one of the team that won the Triple Crown the previous year was not reselected, the team was not harmonious. Gould and Hill fell out over scrummaging tactics against England, causing Hill to work against his own packleader, Jim Hannan
, resulting in a massive English victory. Hill's final game was a loss to Ireland in Belfast, in which Hill was given the captaincy.
and the touring New Zealand Māoris.
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 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...
. Hill won 15 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...
over a period of ten years and was given the team captaincy on four occasions.
Hill was baptised as Alperus Frank Hill according to parish records in Llandaff
Llandaff
Llandaff is a district in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales, having been incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Church in Wales Bishop of Llandaff, whose diocese covers the most populous area of South Wales. Much of the district is covered by parkland known as Llandaff...
, and was later educated at Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
. He was a solicitor by trade, and had a practice on Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
High Street.
International career
Hill was first selected for Wales in a match against Scotland as part of the 1885 Home Nations Championship1885 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...
. Under the captaincy of Newport's 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...
, the game was a dull scorless draw caused by Welsh attempts to kill the game at any opportunity. Hill played in both Welsh matches of the 1886 Championship
1886 Home Nations Championship
The 1886 Home Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 2 January and 13 March 1886. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales...
, but was not chosen during the next year's tournament. In 1888 Hill experienced his first international win, when he was part of the Wales team that beat Scotland at Rodney Parade
Rodney Parade
Rodney Parade is a stadium in the city of Newport, south Wales. Located on the east bank of the River Usk in Newport city centre it is primarily used for rugby matches and is the home ground of Newport RFC and the Newport Gwent Dragons regional team.-History:...
. Wales won by a single try, scored by Thomas Pryce-Jenkins
Thomas Pryce-Jenkins
Dr. Thomas John Pryce-Jenkins was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for London Welsh and county rugby for Middlesex...
in the first half before using the same spoiling tactics they employed in 1885 to prevent Scotland from scoring.
In December 1888, Hill was selected to captain Wales against the first Southern Hemisphere touring team to Britain when he faced the New Zealand Māoris
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...
. Wales employed the four threequarters system during the game, the first time since it was abandoned after the failure of the tactic against Scotland in 1886. The Welsh were victorious and Hill was given the captaincy for the opening game of the 1889 Home Nations 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...
to Scotland. Wales lost the game and Hill was replaced for the final game of the season to Ireland by Daniel Griffiths
Daniel Griffiths
Daniel Phillip Griffiths born February 1, 1979 in Carmarthen, Wales is a rugby union player for Bridgend Ravens. He previously played for Whitland RFC and Aviron Bayonnais. He then played over 150 games for Newport RFC and became the highest all time points scorer for the club in February 2008 at...
. Hill regained his position and his captaincy in the first match of the 1890 tournament
1890 Home Nations Championship
The 1890 Home Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 1 February and 15 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, though missed the away match to England. When he was reselected for the final game of the championship the captaincy was passed to Arthur Gould.
Hill missed the next two tournaments, before playing the entirety of the 1893 tournament
1893 Home Nations Championship
The 1893 Home Nations Championship was the eleventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 17 January and 11 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
which saw Wales win all their matches to take the Triple Crown
Triple Crown (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the four national teams of the British Isles who compete within the larger Six Nations Championship: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. If any one team manages to win all their games against the other three they win the...
for the first time. The next season was Hill's last as an international player and although only one of the team that won the Triple Crown the previous year was not reselected, the team was not harmonious. Gould and Hill fell out over scrummaging tactics against England, causing Hill to work against his own packleader, Jim 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....
, resulting in a massive English victory. Hill's final game was a loss to Ireland in Belfast, in which Hill was given the captaincy.
International matches played
Wales 1886, 1893, 1894 1888, 1890, 1893, 1894 1888 1885, 1886, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1893, 1894As referee
In 1889 Hill refereed the encounter between Oxford UniversityOxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
and the touring New Zealand Māoris.