Owen Badger
Encyclopedia
Owen Badger was a Welsh
international rugby
centre who played rugby union
for Llanelli
and was capped four times for Wales
. He later switched codes, playing professional rugby league
for Swinton
.
. Under the captaincy of Wales legend Arthur 'Monkey' Gould, Wales lost the game 6-14, mainly due to far better play from the English forwards. Although appearing on the losing side, Badger was reselected for the very next game. The Scotland game was a much closer affair, but Wales lost this match too, though the final game of the tournament at home
to Ireland saw Wales victorious thanks to Billy Bancroft
's conversion of a Tom Pearson
try
. This match was Badger's only appearance on a winning international team under the rugby union code. His final amateur match for Wales was in the next season's opening game of the Championship
. It was a torrid game for Wales and Badger, as in the first 15 minutes of the match, he broke his collar bone in a tackle and was forced to leave the pitch. With replacements not allowed, the Welsh team played on with 14 men and saw seven tries scored against them without reply. Badger's replacement for the next match was Gwyn Nicholls
, one of the finest threequarters in Welsh rugby.
Whether Badger would have regained his position in the Welsh team is unknown, as he switched codes to professional rugby league in 1897. His fee for switching to Swinton was £75, with a match fee of £2, 10 shillings a week. Badger's family remained in Wales while he played in Manchester
. This fact caused repercussions for the club, when Badger's actions caused the club to forfeit two league points when he took time off work to visit his sick children in Wales. On his return, the club forgot to ask permission from the union to reintroduce Badger into the team, and the club was duly penalised.
When Badger died in 1939, it was just seven days before his Wales replacement, Nicholls also died.
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
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:...
centre 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 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 was capped four 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...
. He later switched codes, playing professional 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 Swinton
Swinton Lions
Swinton Lions is an English professional rugby league club from Swinton, Greater Manchester. The club has won the Championship six times and three Challenge Cups. They currently play in the Championship.-Early years:...
.
Rugby career
Badger came to prominence playing for Llanelli. He was part of the team that won the South Wales Challenge Cup during the 1893/94 under the captaincy of Ben James. While playing for Llanelli, Badger was first chosen to represent his country in a game against England as part of the 1895 Home Nations Championship1895 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...
. Under the captaincy of Wales legend Arthur 'Monkey' Gould, Wales lost the game 6-14, mainly due to far better play from the English forwards. Although appearing on the losing side, Badger was reselected for the very next game. The Scotland game was a much closer affair, but Wales lost this match too, though the final game of the tournament at home
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...
to Ireland saw Wales victorious thanks to Billy Bancroft
Billy Bancroft
Billy Bancroft was a Welsh international fullback who played club rugby for Swansea and a county cricketer for Glamorgan, becoming their first professional player in 1895....
's conversion of a Tom Pearson
Tom Pearson (rugby player)
Thomas William Rory Pearson was a Welsh international wing who played club rugby for Cardiff and Newport and county rugby with Middlesex. He won 13 caps for Wales and captained the team on one occasion, against England. Pearson was an all-round sportsman, representing Wales not only in rugby, but...
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...
. This match was Badger's only appearance on a winning international team under the rugby union code. His final amateur match for Wales was in the next season's opening game of the Championship
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:...
. It was a torrid game for Wales and Badger, as in the first 15 minutes of the match, he broke his collar bone in a tackle and was forced to leave the pitch. With replacements not allowed, the Welsh team played on with 14 men and saw seven tries scored against them without reply. Badger's replacement for the next match was Gwyn Nicholls
Gwyn Nicholls
Erith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
, one of the finest threequarters in Welsh rugby.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. This fact caused repercussions for the club, when Badger's actions caused the club to forfeit two league points when he took time off work to visit his sick children in Wales. On his return, the club forgot to ask permission from the union to reintroduce Badger into the team, and the club was duly penalised.
When Badger died in 1939, it was just seven days before his Wales replacement, Nicholls also died.
External links
- Llanelli team photograph that includes Badger National Library of Wales