Gwyn Rowlands
Encyclopedia
Dr. Gwyn Rowlands was an English
-born rugby union
wing, who played international rugby for the Wales national team
. At club level he represented London Welsh, Cardiff
and the Royal Air Force.
during the 1948/49 season, but was unsuccessful. He was then invited to trial for Wales in 1949. Rowlands would remember years later that when he was selected for the trials for both teams, the fallout devastated his parents' marriage. While on national service for the Royal Air Force at St Athan he accepted an invitation to join Cardiff Rugby Club. In 1953 he was part of the Cardiff team to face the touring New Zealand team. Rowlands was instrumental in a famous victory; his cross-kick set up the first Cardiff try
, which was scored by Sid Judd
, and then converted by Rowlands. His performance won him his first international cap for Wales, when he was brought into the side to face the same touring New Zealand team. He made a major contribution to the final result, scoring two conversions and a penalty goal in a 13-8 victory.
Rowlands played in three more internationals for Wales, with encounters against England and France as part of the 1953 Five Nations Championship
and after a year break, was brought in to face France again in 1956
.
near Aylesbury
on 30 April 2010.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born 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...
wing, who played international rugby for the Wales national team
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...
. At club level he represented London Welsh, 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...
and the Royal Air Force.
Rugby career
Gwyn Rowlands was born and educated in Berkhamsted, and had dual qualifications for both England and Wales. He had trials for England national teamEngland national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
during the 1948/49 season, but was unsuccessful. He was then invited to trial for Wales in 1949. Rowlands would remember years later that when he was selected for the trials for both teams, the fallout devastated his parents' marriage. While on national service for the Royal Air Force at St Athan he accepted an invitation to join Cardiff Rugby Club. In 1953 he was part of the Cardiff team to face the touring New Zealand team. Rowlands was instrumental in a famous victory; his cross-kick set up the first Cardiff 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...
, which was scored by Sid Judd
Sid Judd
Sidney "Sid" Judd was a Welsh international rugby union flanker who played club rugby for Cardiff and Carmarthen Athletic...
, and then converted by Rowlands. His performance won him his first international cap for Wales, when he was brought into the side to face the same touring New Zealand team. He made a major contribution to the final result, scoring two conversions and a penalty goal in a 13-8 victory.
Rowlands played in three more internationals for Wales, with encounters against England and France as part of the 1953 Five Nations Championship
1953 Five Nations Championship
The 1953 Five Nations Championship was the twenty-fourth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-ninth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played...
and after a year break, was brought in to face France again in 1956
1956 Five Nations Championship
The 1956 Five Nations Championship was the twenty-seventh series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the sixty-second series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played...
.
After rugby
He went on to become a doctor in his hometown of Berkhamsted, taking over his father's general practice and developing a reputation for diagnosing illnesses. Rowlands lived with his wife for the remainder of his life in Berkhamsted town centre, and died at Stoke Mandeville HospitalStoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital is a large National Health Service hospital within Aylesbury Urban Area to the south of the town of Aylesbury, near the village of Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire...
near Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
on 30 April 2010.