Len Blyth
Encyclopedia
Leonard 'Len' Blyth was a Welsh
international rugby union
flanker who played club rugby for Swansea
. He captained Swansea and played in three international games for Wales
which saw him become a Grand Slam
winner.
on December 15, 1951. Seven days later, Blyth was awarded his first international cap when he was chosen as a flanker to face the South Africans
for the Welsh national team. Wales were narrowly beaten and Blyth found himself selected for the opening game of the 1952 Five Nations Championship
. Blyth played against England and Scotland before losing his position for the last two matches. Nevertheless, Wales won the tournament and Blyth became a Grand Slam winner. After the end of his international career, Blyth still played against international opposition, including Swansea's 6-6 draw against the 1953 touring New Zealand side.
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...
flanker who played club rugby for Swansea
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
. He captained Swansea and played in three international games 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...
which saw him become a Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
winner.
Rugby career
Blyth was captain of Swansea during the 1951/52 season and led his team against the touring South Africans1951-52 South Africa rugby union tour
The 1951-52 South Africa tour of Britain, Ireland and France was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the South Africa national rugby union team against the four British Home Nation teams and France. The tour also took in several matches against British, Irish and French club,...
on December 15, 1951. Seven days later, Blyth was awarded his first international cap when he was chosen as a flanker to face the South Africans
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
for the Welsh national team. Wales were narrowly beaten and Blyth found himself selected for the opening game of the 1952 Five Nations Championship
1952 Five Nations Championship
The 1952 Five Nations Championship was the twenty-third series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-eighth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played...
. Blyth played against England and Scotland before losing his position for the last two matches. Nevertheless, Wales won the tournament and Blyth became a Grand Slam winner. After the end of his international career, Blyth still played against international opposition, including Swansea's 6-6 draw against the 1953 touring New Zealand side.