Ray Cale
Encyclopedia
William Raymond "Ray" Cale (18 July 1922 in Usk
, Wales
– 23 May 2006) was a dual code rugby international for Wales
with the international rugby union
and rugby league
teams.
in Monmouthshire
made his name as a rampaging, tough tackling flanker. He learnt rugby union at Ebbw Vale
and Newbridge
. In 1947, he played for a combined Pontypool, Blaenavon
and Talywain
side against the Australian national rugby union team.
Cale made his Welsh
debut against England at Cardiff Arms Park
in 1949 as a backrower. He played three Five Nations matches in the 1949 season. Wales came last in the championship.
In 1950, he switched to Pontypool RFC
. Cale played in all four Five Nations matches the following season when Wales won a grand slam
defeating England, Scotland, Ireland and France. He was known for his strong tackling and robust play. He scored a try against England at Twickenham
and forced an error that led to Malcolm Thomas
scoring a match winning try against Ireland.
He was a controversial omission from the British and Irish Lions
team that toured Australia and New Zealand later that season. He was deemed to be "too rough" a player for the tour.
for St Helens. He was a losing finalist in the 1952 Lancashire Cup
match against Leigh
but was an integral member of championship winning side in the 1952/53 season. In 1953, he played for St Helens in the Rugby League Challenge Cup
losing to the Huddersfield Giants
15-10 at Wembley Stadium
He played 128 games for St. Helens. He also became a double international by adding four Welsh league caps to the seven he won at union, figuring twice against Other Nationalities, France and England His career in rugby league ended in 1953-54.
Cale died in May 2006.
Usk
Usk is a small town in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated 10 miles northeast of Newport.The River Usk flows through the town and is spanned by an ancient, arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. A castle above the town overlooks the ancient Anglo-Welsh border crossing - the river can...
, Wales
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...
– 23 May 2006) was a dual code rugby international for Wales
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...
with the international rugby union
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...
and rugby league
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
teams.
Rugby union
Ray Cale, a native of UskUsk
Usk is a small town in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated 10 miles northeast of Newport.The River Usk flows through the town and is spanned by an ancient, arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. A castle above the town overlooks the ancient Anglo-Welsh border crossing - the river can...
in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
made his name as a rampaging, tough tackling flanker. He learnt rugby union at Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale RFC
Ebbw Vale Rugby Football Club is a Welsh Rugby Union Club based in the town of Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, South Wales. The club currently play in the WRU Division One East and the SWALEC Cup. It also acts as a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons....
and Newbridge
Newbridge RFC
Newbridge RFC are a Welsh rugby union club based in Newbridge, Caerphilly in South Wales. Newbridge RFC was formed in 1888 and gained admission to the WRU in 1911...
. In 1947, he played for a combined Pontypool, Blaenavon
Blaenavon RFC
Blaenavon Rugby Football Club are a Welsh rugby union club based in the town of Blaenavon, South Wales. Blaenavon RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons....
and Talywain
Talywain RFC
Talywain Rugby Football Club are a Welsh rugby union club based in Talywain near the town of Pontypool, Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons....
side against the Australian national rugby union team.
Cale made his Welsh
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...
debut against England at 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...
in 1949 as a backrower. He played three Five Nations matches in the 1949 season. Wales came last in the championship.
In 1950, he switched to Pontypool RFC
Pontypool RFC
Pontypool Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in the town of Pontypool. Pontypool RFC has a long history within Welsh rugby and is one of the most notable clubs, being present at the formation of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1881, but disbanding before the turn of the 19th century...
. Cale played in all four Five Nations matches the following season when Wales won 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...
defeating England, Scotland, Ireland and France. He was known for his strong tackling and robust play. He scored a try against England at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
and forced an error that led to Malcolm Thomas
Malcolm Thomas
Malcolm Thomas was a Welsh international centre who played club rugby for Newport. He won 27 caps for Wales and was selected to play in the British Lions on two tours of Australia and New Zealand. A versatile player, Thomas found himself being moved between centre and wing and was chosen many...
scoring a match winning try against Ireland.
He was a controversial omission from the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
team that toured Australia and New Zealand later that season. He was deemed to be "too rough" a player for the tour.
Rugby league
He joined St. Helens the following season. His strong defensive game and robust running style allowed him to adapt easily to rugby league. In 1951, he played against the touring New Zealand national rugby league teamNew Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
for St Helens. He was a losing finalist in the 1952 Lancashire Cup
Rugby league county cups
Historically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
match against Leigh
Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...
but was an integral member of championship winning side in the 1952/53 season. In 1953, he played for St Helens in the Rugby League Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
losing to the Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
15-10 at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
He played 128 games for St. Helens. He also became a double international by adding four Welsh league caps to the seven he won at union, figuring twice against Other Nationalities, France and England His career in rugby league ended in 1953-54.
Cale died in May 2006.