George Andrews (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
George Edward Andrews was a Welsh
dual code rugby
wing who played rugby union
for Newport RFC and rugby league
for Leeds
. Andrews was capped for the Wales
rugby union team on five occasions.
New Zealand All Blacks and the 1926 Maoris. In the match against New Zealand, Andrews scored a try
, Newport's only points in a one-sided defeat to the tourists.
Andrews gained his first international cap, when he was selected to play for Rowe Harding
's Wales, against England on 16 January 1926. Andrews scored a try on his debut which resulted in a Welsh draw after England's Wavell Wakefield
also scored a try. Andrews was selected for the next match in the 1926 Five Nations Championship
, this time facing Scotland. Wales lost this match and Andrews was not selected for the final two games of the tournament against Ireland and France. The next season Andrews was back, but in the first game against England, Wales lost 11-9, though Andrews scored his second international try during the game. His next match was as part of Ossie Male
's team that beat France, and Andrews scored his final international try. His next cap was his last, losing to Ireland at Landsdowne Road in Dublin.
In 1927 Andrews switched from rugby union to rugby league. He 'Went North' for £600 to join Leeds Rugby League and prevented future selection for the Welsh union team as he was then deemed a professional player.
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...
dual code rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
wing who played 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...
for Newport RFC and rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
for Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
. Andrews was capped for the 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...
rugby union team on five occasions.
Rugby career
Andrews had a successful career with Newport, and was part of the team during the 'invincible' season of 1922/23. He was also selected to represent the Newport team to face two touring international teams, the 1924The 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...
New Zealand All Blacks and the 1926 Maoris. In the match against New Zealand, Andrews 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...
, Newport's only points in a one-sided defeat to the tourists.
Andrews gained his first international cap, when he was selected to play for Rowe Harding
Rowe Harding
W. Rowe Harding was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Swansea. An intelligent player, Harding played for several teams at club and international level. In 1926 he attended Cambridge University and played for Cambridge in a varsity match...
's Wales, against England on 16 January 1926. Andrews scored a try on his debut which resulted in a Welsh draw after England's Wavell Wakefield
Wavell Wakefield, 1st Baron Wakefield of Kendal
William Wavell Wakefield, 1st Baron Wakefield of Kendal , known as Sir Wavell Wakefield between 1944 and 1963, was an English rugby union player for Harlequins and England, President of the Rugby Football Union and Conservative politician.-Background and education:Wakefield was born in Beckenham,...
also scored a try. Andrews was selected for the next match in the 1926 Five Nations Championship
1926 Five Nations Championship
The 1926 Five Nations Championship was the twelfth 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-ninth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
, this time facing Scotland. Wales lost this match and Andrews was not selected for the final two games of the tournament against Ireland and France. The next season Andrews was back, but in the first game against England, Wales lost 11-9, though Andrews scored his second international try during the game. His next match was as part of Ossie Male
Ossie Male
Ossie Male was a Welsh international full back who played club rugby for Cardiff and was capped 11 times for Wales and captained his country on three occasions. In 1924, Male was at the centre of an embarrassing decision made by the Welsh Rugby Union that prevented him facing the French rugby team...
's team that beat France, and Andrews scored his final international try. His next cap was his last, losing to Ireland at Landsdowne Road in Dublin.
In 1927 Andrews switched from rugby union to rugby league. He 'Went North' for £600 to join Leeds Rugby League and prevented future selection for the Welsh union team as he was then deemed a professional player.
External links
- Scrum.com Player profile of George Andrews
- Profile at blackandambers.co.uk