Harry Vaughan Watkins
Encyclopedia
Harry Vaughan Watkins was a Welsh
rugby union
player who played club rugby for Llanelli
and London Welsh and gained six caps for the Wales
national team. Watkins also played cricket and hockey for Carmarthenshire.
, and during the 1898/99 season was captain of the senior XV. By the time he was first selected to play for the Wales national team, he had switched club to Llanelli, at the time one of the most prominent Welsh clubs. His first international game was against Scotland, in the second Wales game of the 1904 Home Nations Championship
. After a draw in the opening match to England, the Welsh selectors had brought in five new caps, four among the pack, for the Scottish encounter. Wales won 21-3, with the Welsh backs scoring heavily thanks to the sustained possession achieved by Watkins and the rest of the forward players. Watkins was then reselected for the final Wales game of the tournament, an away match at the Balmoral Showgrounds against Ireland. Wales lost the match by two points, with complaints for the loss being directed at poor refereeing decisions.
In the 1904/05 season Watkins was given the captaincy of Llanelli, and retained his position in the Wales team, playing in all three matches of the Triple Crown
winning 1905 Championship
.
The opening game of the series was against England, played at the Cardiff Arms Park
. Wales dominated from the start of the match and scored seven tries
, two of which were scored by Welsh forwards, Arthur Harding
and Watkins himself. This try was Watkins only international points. The next two matches saw an away victory over Scotland and a home win over Ireland. The 1905 winning team is still recognised as one of the strongest Welsh teams in history, centred around a formidable pack. With Wales dominating the Home Nations, the next game was to be the historic encounter with the Original All Blacks, New Zealand's first touring team. Despite being available for the opening game of the 1906 Home Nations Championship
less than a month later, Watkins was not selected for the 'Match of the Century', which saw Wales narrowly beat the All Blacks. Wales changed their pack formation to counter the New Zealand tactics, and the Welsh selectors brought in Charlie
and Cliff Pritchard
at the expense of Watkins and Cardiff's
Billy O'Neill
. Watkins played his final Wales international against England in January 1906.
With his international career now behind him, Watkins played in one final showcase match in Wales, when he was part of the Llanelli team to face the touring South Africans of 1906. Played on the 29 December at Stradey Park
and led by 'Danny' Walters
, Llanelli played an exciting encounter against the Springboks, but lost 16-3.
Before the outbreak of World War I, Watkins left Wales for Canada
, and while there played rugby for Victoria in British Columbia
; and in November 1913 he captained the Victoria team against a touring New Zealand.
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...
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...
player who played club rugby for Llanelli
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
and London Welsh and gained six caps 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...
national team. Watkins also played cricket and hockey for Carmarthenshire.
Rugby career
Watkins began his rugby career with Carmarthenshire based team LlandoveryLlandovery RFC
Llandovery RFC are a Welsh rugby union club based in Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The club is an inaugural member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Scarlets.-Early history:...
, and during the 1898/99 season was captain of the senior XV. By the time he was first selected to play for the Wales national team, he had switched club to Llanelli, at the time one of the most prominent Welsh clubs. His first international game was against Scotland, in the second Wales game of the 1904 Home Nations Championship
1904 Home Nations Championship
The 1904 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-second series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 9 January and 19 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
. After a draw in the opening match to England, the Welsh selectors had brought in five new caps, four among the pack, for the Scottish encounter. Wales won 21-3, with the Welsh backs scoring heavily thanks to the sustained possession achieved by Watkins and the rest of the forward players. Watkins was then reselected for the final Wales game of the tournament, an away match at the Balmoral Showgrounds against Ireland. Wales lost the match by two points, with complaints for the loss being directed at poor refereeing decisions.
In the 1904/05 season Watkins was given the captaincy of Llanelli, and retained his position in the Wales team, playing in all three matches of 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...
winning 1905 Championship
1905 Home Nations Championship
The 1905 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-third series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 14 January and 18 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
.
The opening game of the series was against England, played at the Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
. Wales dominated from the start of the match and scored seven tries
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...
, two of which were scored by Welsh forwards, Arthur Harding
Arthur Harding
Arthur Flowers Harding was an English-born international rugby union player who played for and captained the Wales national team. Often called 'Boxer' Harding, he was a member of the winning Wales team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks in a game considered one of the greatest in the history of...
and Watkins himself. This try was Watkins only international points. The next two matches saw an away victory over Scotland and a home win over Ireland. The 1905 winning team is still recognised as one of the strongest Welsh teams in history, centred around a formidable pack. With Wales dominating the Home Nations, the next game was to be the historic encounter with the Original All Blacks, New Zealand's first touring team. Despite being available for the opening game of the 1906 Home Nations Championship
1906 Home Nations Championship
The 1906 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-fourth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 13 January and 17 March...
less than a month later, Watkins was not selected for the 'Match of the Century', which saw Wales narrowly beat the All Blacks. Wales changed their pack formation to counter the New Zealand tactics, and the Welsh selectors brought in Charlie
Charlie Pritchard
Captain Charlie Pritchard was a Welsh international rugby union player. He was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks. He played club rugby for Newport RFC and county rugby for Monmouthshire.-Rugby career:...
and Cliff Pritchard
Cliff Pritchard
Cliff Pritchard was a Welsh international centre who played club rugby for Newport RFC and Pontypool RFC. Pritchard was capped on five occasions and scored two tries for his country...
at the expense of Watkins and 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...
Billy O'Neill
Billy O'Neill
William "Billy" O'Neill often recorded as Billy O'Neil or Billy Neil was a Welsh international dual-code rugby front row player who played club rugby under the union code for Cardiff and Aberavon and as a professional rugby league player he represented Warrington...
. Watkins played his final Wales international against England in January 1906.
With his international career now behind him, Watkins played in one final showcase match in Wales, when he was part of the Llanelli team to face the touring South Africans of 1906. Played on the 29 December at Stradey Park
Stradey Park
Stradey Park was a rugby union stadium located near the centre of the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was the home of the Scarlets region and Llanelli RFC rugby teams. The stadium was a combination of seating and standing with a total capacity of 10,800...
and led by 'Danny' Walters
Nathaniel Walters
Nathaniel "Danny" Walters was a Welsh rugby union forward who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales.-Rugby career:...
, Llanelli played an exciting encounter against the Springboks, but lost 16-3.
Before the outbreak of World War I, Watkins left Wales for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and while there played rugby for Victoria in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
; and in November 1913 he captained the Victoria team against a touring New Zealand.
International games played
Wales 1905, 1906- IrelandIreland national rugby union teamThe Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
1904, 1905 1904, 1905