Ray Prosser
Encyclopedia
Thomas Raymond 'Ray' Prosser (born 2 March 1927) was a Welsh
international rugby union
prop who played club rugby for Pontypool
and was capped 22 times for Wales
. Prosser also represented the British Lions
in their 1959 tour of Australia and New Zealand
, and played invitational rugby for the Barbarians
. He is often remembered more for his coaching of an extremely successful Pontypool side during the 1970s and 1980s.
Prosser was first selected for Wales during the 1956 Five Nations Championship
, replacing Neath's
Courtney Meredith
in a game against Scotland. Under the captaincy of Cliff Morgan
, Wales won the game 9-3, but Prosser lost his place to Meredith in the next game of the tournament in Ireland. After Wales lost the Welsh game against Ireland, Prosser was back in favour with the selectors and was part of the team that beat France in the last game of the competition. The victory over the French gave Wales the Championship trophy, making Prosser a Five Nations winning player.
During the 1957 Five Nations Championship
, Prosser was rewarded with a position in the Welsh squad that would see him represent his country in the competition for the next three years without without missing a game. It was during the 1957 campaign that Prosser scored his only international points, when he scored a try
in a win over France. As well as representing Wales over six Five Nations Championships, Prosser faced two touring Southern Hemisphere teams; Australia in 1958 and South Africa in 1960.
In 1959 Prosser was one of nine Welsh players to be selected to play in Ronnie Dawson's
British Lions team when they toured Australia and New Zealand. Prosser was not a natural tourist, he had a fear of flying and was also homesick during the long five month tour. He also suffered an injury early in the tour, but after his recovery, he played with his normal good form, impressing in the game against North Auckland. Prosser was chosen to play in the final test against New Zealand, which the Lions won.
British Lions 1959
, Bobby Windsor
and Charlie Faulkner
, the three players represented Wales on 19 occasions. The players credited Prosser's commitment to fitness as a major factor in their rugby development. Prosser coached the Pontypool first team for 18 years.
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...
prop who played club rugby for Pontypool
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...
and was capped 22 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...
. Prosser also represented the British 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...
in their 1959 tour of Australia and New Zealand
1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand
In 1959 the British Lions rugby union team toured Australia and New Zealand. The Lions won the two test matches against but lost the international series against the All Blacks by three matches to one. They also played two matches in Canada, on the return leg of the journey.Although New Zealand...
, and played invitational rugby for the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
. He is often remembered more for his coaching of an extremely successful Pontypool side during the 1970s and 1980s.
Rugby playing career
Prosser played much of his club rugby for Pontypool, whom he joined in the late 1950s. At club level he was placed mainly in the second row, but later switched to the front row during his international career. Prosser was an enthusiastic student of rugby and believed in regular playing and training. His playing style was robust and aggressive, whose work rate in the scrum and mauls was tireless. Prosser was often seen as over-vigorous, if not dirty, in some aspects of his play; especially in line outs where he would sometimes use his arms illegally on his opposite jumper.Prosser was first selected for Wales during the 1956 Five Nations Championship
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...
, replacing Neath's
Neath RFC
Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem...
Courtney Meredith
Courtney Meredith
Courtney Meredith was a Welsh international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Neath. He won fourteen caps for Wales and also played for invitational club the Barbarians. Meredith was a powerful prop, and was much praised by second row players for his tight packing, which allowed them the...
in a game against Scotland. Under the captaincy of Cliff Morgan
Cliff Morgan
Cliff Morgan is a former Welsh rugby union player who played for Cardiff RFC and earned 29 caps for Wales between 1951 and 1958.-Rugby career:...
, Wales won the game 9-3, but Prosser lost his place to Meredith in the next game of the tournament in Ireland. After Wales lost the Welsh game against Ireland, Prosser was back in favour with the selectors and was part of the team that beat France in the last game of the competition. The victory over the French gave Wales the Championship trophy, making Prosser a Five Nations winning player.
During the 1957 Five Nations Championship
1957 Five Nations Championship
The 1956 Five Nations Championship was the twenty-eighth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the sixty-third series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played...
, Prosser was rewarded with a position in the Welsh squad that would see him represent his country in the competition for the next three years without without missing a game. It was during the 1957 campaign that Prosser scored his only international points, when he scored a 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...
in a win over France. As well as representing Wales over six Five Nations Championships, Prosser faced two touring Southern Hemisphere teams; Australia in 1958 and South Africa in 1960.
In 1959 Prosser was one of nine Welsh players to be selected to play in Ronnie Dawson's
Ronnie Dawson (rugby player)
Alfred Ronald "Ronnie" Dawson played hooker for Ireland and was captain of the British Lions rugby union team on their 1959 tour to Australia, New Zealand and Canada.Ronnie was educated in St...
British Lions team when they toured Australia and New Zealand. Prosser was not a natural tourist, he had a fear of flying and was also homesick during the long five month tour. He also suffered an injury early in the tour, but after his recovery, he played with his normal good form, impressing in the game against North Auckland. Prosser was chosen to play in the final test against New Zealand, which the Lions won.
International matches played
Wales 1958 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961- 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...
1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 1960
British Lions 1959
Coaching career
Prosser was a leading committee man at Pontypool Rugby Club and after retiring from playing rugby was given the role of coaching the first team in 1969. Prosser brought the same commitment he practiced in his own personal fitness and training into his coaching techniques. His methods were revolutionary, producing one of the strongest Pontypool teams in the club's history. During Prosser's time at Pontypool, he oversaw the 'Pontypool Front Row', made up of Graham PriceGraham Price
Graham Price MBE is a former Welsh rugby union player who won 41 caps for as a prop forward.- Education :...
, Bobby Windsor
Bobby Windsor
Robert William Windsor , known as Bobby and nicknamed "The Duke", is a former rugby union player who gained 28 rugby union caps for Wales as a hooker between 1973 and 1979...
and Charlie Faulkner
Charlie Faulkner
Anthony George "Charlie" Faulkner was a rugby union player of the 1970s and later a rugby coach.He was born Anthony George Faulkner in Newport, Monmouthshire in February 1941.- Wales caps :...
, the three players represented Wales on 19 occasions. The players credited Prosser's commitment to fitness as a major factor in their rugby development. Prosser coached the Pontypool first team for 18 years.