Fred Parfitt
Encyclopedia
Frederick 'Fred' Charles Parfitt (12 August 1869–20 March 1953) was a Welsh
international rugby union
scrum-half who played club rugby for Newport, regional rugby for Somerset and was capped nine times for Wales
. On retiring from rugby union, Parfitt switched to bowls
and also represented Wales in this sport.
, and played behind a formidable pack filled with Wales internationals Arthur Gould, Bob Gould
and Charlie Thomas
.
Parfitt was first selected to represent Wales as part of the 1893 Home Nations Championship
in the opening game against England. Under the captaincy of Arthur Gould, Parfitt was chosen to partner Phillips, who although was recognised as an elusive attacker was seen as a weak proposition in defence and poor at spot kicking. Where Phillips was an asset was in his link-up play with Gould, the team mates would break together in attack using inter-passing and feints to confuse their opponents. Parfitt's role was to cover Phillips and make sure that his offensive play did not cause defensive weaknesses. Parfitt and Phillips partnered each other in all three games of the 1893 Championship, which saw Wales win all matches and raise the Triple Crown
for the first time in the country's history.
Parfitt was reselected for Wales for the 1894 Championship
, but Welsh campaign had a terrible start when England beat them 24-3. Parfitt gained his only international points during this game when he scored a try
, though the Welsh pack squabbled throughout the game, with Frank Hill
working against the wishes of his captain Gould. After a win against Scotland, Parfitt saw his partnership at scrum-half change, when in the final game of the tournament against Ireland, Phillips was replaced by Cardiff's
Ralph Sweet-Escott
.
Parfitt played just a single game of the 1895 Home Nations Championship
, alongside Selwyn Biggs
, in a loss to Scotland. He was reunited with Biggs in 1896
, this time in a win over Scotland. His final game was the last game of the 1896 tournament away to Ireland. On this occasion he was partnered with new cap Llewellyn Lloyd
, who would become a strong player for Wales and a groundbreaking captain for Newport.
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...
scrum-half who played club rugby for Newport, regional rugby for Somerset and was capped nine times 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...
. On retiring from rugby union, Parfitt switched to bowls
Bowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
and also represented Wales in this sport.
Rugby career
Parfitt first played rugby for local club team Pontnewydd, before switching to first class club, Newport. At Newport, Parfitt was partnered at scrum-half with Percy PhillipsPercy Phillips (rugby player)
Henry Percy Phillips OBE was a Welsh rugby union international fly-half who played club rugby for Newport. He won six caps for Wales and played in all three games of the 1893 Home Nations Championship which saw Wales lift the Triple Crown for the first time in the country's history.Outside rugby,...
, and played behind a formidable pack filled with Wales internationals Arthur Gould, Bob Gould
Bob Gould (rugby player)
Bob Gould was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club. He won 11 caps for Wales and captained them for one match...
and Charlie Thomas
Charlie Thomas (rugby player)
Charles 'Charlie' Thomas was a Welsh international rugby union utility player who played club rugby for Newport and invitational rugby for the Barbarians. Thomas won nine caps for Wales.-Rugby career:...
.
Parfitt was first selected to represent Wales as part of the 1893 Home Nations Championship
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...
in the opening game against England. Under the captaincy of Arthur Gould, Parfitt was chosen to partner Phillips, who although was recognised as an elusive attacker was seen as a weak proposition in defence and poor at spot kicking. Where Phillips was an asset was in his link-up play with Gould, the team mates would break together in attack using inter-passing and feints to confuse their opponents. Parfitt's role was to cover Phillips and make sure that his offensive play did not cause defensive weaknesses. Parfitt and Phillips partnered each other in all three games of the 1893 Championship, which saw Wales win all matches and raise 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 in the country's history.
Parfitt was reselected for Wales for the 1894 Championship
1894 Home Nations Championship
The 1894 Home Nations Championship was the twelfth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 6 January and 17 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, but Welsh campaign had a terrible start when England beat them 24-3. Parfitt gained his only international points during this game when he scored 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...
, though the Welsh pack squabbled throughout the game, with 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....
working against the wishes of his captain Gould. After a win against Scotland, Parfitt saw his partnership at scrum-half change, when in the final game of the tournament against Ireland, Phillips was replaced by Cardiff's
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...
Ralph Sweet-Escott
Ralph Sweet-Escott
Ralph Bond Sweet-Escott was an English-born international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Cardiff and was capped three times for Wales. Sweet-Escott also played cricket for Glamorgan representing the county in the Minor Counties Cricket Championship...
.
Parfitt played just a single game of the 1895 Home Nations Championship
1895 Home Nations Championship
The 1895 Home Nations Championship was the thirteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 16 March...
, alongside Selwyn Biggs
Selwyn Biggs
Selwyn Hanam Biggs was a Welsh international rugby union fly-half who played club rugby for Cardiff and county rugby for Glamorgan. Both Biggs and his brother Norman played international rugby for Wales, though they never played in the same match for Wales together. Biggs was described at the time...
, in a loss to Scotland. He was reunited with Biggs in 1896
1896 Home Nations Championship
The 1896 Home Nations Championship was the fourteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 4 January and 14 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, this time in a win over Scotland. His final game was the last game of the 1896 tournament away to Ireland. On this occasion he was partnered with new cap Llewellyn Lloyd
Llewellyn Lloyd
George Llewellyn Lloyd was a Welsh international half-back who played club rugby for Newport and county rugby with Kent. He won 12 caps for Wales and captained the team on one occasion against Scotland....
, who would become a strong player for Wales and a groundbreaking captain for Newport.