Ronnie Boon
Encyclopedia
Ronald Winston "Ronnie" Boon (11 June 1909 - 3 August 1998) was an international rugby union
wing for Wales
who played club rugby for Cardiff
. Boon possessed a tremendous self-confidence in his own ability and this was reflected in his nickname Cocky. Boon was a quick runner, representing Wales
at the 220 yard sprint, and was an excellent drop kicker. He is best known in Welsh rugby as the man who scored all seven points in 1933 against England to end the 'Twickenham bogey', and along with Jack Morley
is seen as one of the greatest Welsh wings since the country's first Golden Era of rugby.
match against Scotland in an all-Cardiff three-quarter line alongside Davies, Jones and Turnbull. Wales lost the match, and although Boon missed the next game against Ireland he had impressed some quarters of the sporting press. 'Old Stager' reported that Boon's covering tackling against Scotland's Ian Smith
had been impressive and that he had shown an '...extraordinary facility for retaining a grasp on whatever part of his anatomy he could lay his hands'. For the final game against France, Boon's Wales rival Jack Morley had been selected to play for the British Lions
, so Boon was reselected in a notoriously aggressive match which resulted in a Welsh win.
Boon played in all of the 1931 Five Nations Championship
which saw Wales win the tournament for the first time in eight years. Under the captaincy of Jack Bassett
, Wales won three of the games, and drew against England. Boon scored his first international try
during the campaign in the game against Scotland, though he was forced to work hard for his score due to the poor distribution of Claude Davey
. The next season Boon was selected to face the touring South Africans
, but the game was played in atrocious icy weather and after Wales lost Bassett was blamed for not switching his team's style of play to accommodate the conditions. Boon was reselected for the 1932 Home Nations Championship
and Wales won their two opening matches against England and Scotland, Boon scoring a try in both games and also managed a 'freak' drop goal in the England match. Wales lost the final game against Ireland, robbing them of a successive championship crown.
In 1931, having qualified as a teacher, Boon left Wales to study at Dunfermline College of Education
, before teaching at Dunfermline High School
, while in Scotland he turned out for Dunfermline
, though would still play for Cardiff when ever he could. In 1933 Boon was chosen to face England at Twickenham
, a stadium Wales had failed to win at in ten attempts. Captained by Watcyn Thomas
, Boon later argued that the Welsh forwards deserved all the credit for the Welsh victory even though Boon scored all the Welsh points in a 7-3 victory. At half-time, England led the game 3-0 with a try from Walter Elliot; but soon after the restart, England's Ronald Gerrard
kicked a loose ball across the ground straight into Boon's arms, and he calmly drop kicked the ball through the posts to take a 4-3 lead. A few minutes later Boon had extended the lead when the ball came back from a maul to Davey, who passed to Boon, and with the English defence out of position, he crossed at the corner and touched the ball down behind the posts for a try. Vivian Jenkins
converted the try which was registered on the score board, but strangely the referee would later disallow the attempt after the game. The decision did not change the result, and Wales had finally beaten the 'Twickenham bogey' and Boon was hailed as a Welsh hero. Boon missed the next game against Scotland due to a knee injury but was back to face Ireland. Wales lost the game and the Welsh selectors dropped 11 of the squad from future fixtures. Those that never played for Wales again after that game included Watcyn Thomas, Arthur Lemon
, Harry Bowcott
, Lonza Bowdler
and Boon himself.
, Boon tried out at cricket for Glamorgan
. He played just eleven first class games, bowling only 11 overs and averaging just 13.47 with the bat.
in the 56th (Highland) Medium Brigade, Royal Artillery
, Territorial Army on 3 May 1933, He was and promoted to lieutenant
on 3 May 1936. He transferred to 227th Anti-Aircraft Battery on 1 February 1938, but with his move south to Brighton, transferred to the TA reserve of officers, on the list of 71st (Forth) Anti-Aircraft Brigade. Although he remained in the reserve until 30 September 1959 when he reached the age limit for service, he does not appear to have served in the Second World War, presumably because teaching was a reserved occupation
. He also represented the TA at rugby.
and served on the Sports Council of Wales. Boon emigrated to New Zealand in 1995 and died there in 1998.
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...
wing 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...
who played club rugby for Cardiff
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...
. Boon possessed a tremendous self-confidence in his own ability and this was reflected in his nickname Cocky. Boon was a quick runner, representing 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...
at the 220 yard sprint, and was an excellent drop kicker. He is best known in Welsh rugby as the man who scored all seven points in 1933 against England to end the 'Twickenham bogey', and along with Jack Morley
Jack Morley
John 'Jack' Cuthbert Morley was a Welsh international rugby wing who played rugby union for Newport and rugby league with Wigan...
is seen as one of the greatest Welsh wings since the country's first Golden Era of rugby.
Rugby career
Boon began his career at Barry Parade Club, before playing at schoolboy level with Barry Grammar and then representing Wales for Welsh Secondary Schools. Boon played for several club teams, including London Welsh which he would become club secretary during most of the 1960s, but spent the majority of his time at Cardiff. He joined the blues during the 1928/29 season, and by 1930 he was selected to represent Wales in a Five Nations ChampionshipSix Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
match against Scotland in an all-Cardiff three-quarter line alongside Davies, Jones and Turnbull. Wales lost the match, and although Boon missed the next game against Ireland he had impressed some quarters of the sporting press. 'Old Stager' reported that Boon's covering tackling against Scotland's Ian Smith
Ian Smith (Scottish rugby player)
Ian Scott Smith was a Scottish rugby union wing who played 32 Tests for Scotland and two Tests for British Isles. Although he was born in Melbourne, Australia, and bought up in New Zealand, Smith moved to England and ended up at Winchester College, Oxford University and Edinburgh University...
had been impressive and that he had shown an '...extraordinary facility for retaining a grasp on whatever part of his anatomy he could lay his hands'. For the final game against France, Boon's Wales rival Jack Morley had been selected to play for 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...
, so Boon was reselected in a notoriously aggressive match which resulted in a Welsh win.
Boon played in all of the 1931 Five Nations Championship
1931 Five Nations Championship
The 1931 Five Nations Championship was the seventeenth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the forty-fourth series of the annual northern hemisphere...
which saw Wales win the tournament for the first time in eight years. Under the captaincy of Jack Bassett
Jack Bassett
Jack Bassett was a Welsh international rugby union full back who played club rugby for Penarth. He won 15 caps for Wales and was selected for the 1930 British Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand...
, Wales won three of the games, and drew against England. Boon scored his first international 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...
during the campaign in the game against Scotland, though he was forced to work hard for his score due to the poor distribution of Claude Davey
Claude Davey
Claude Davey was a Wales international rugby union player who played club rugby for several teams, most notably Sale and Swansea. He was awarded 23 caps for Wales and captained his country eight times...
. The next season Boon was selected to face the touring South Africans
1931-32 South Africa rugby union tour
The 1931-32 South Africa tour of Britain and Ireland was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the South Africa national rugby union team against the four British Home Nation teams. The tour also took in several matches against British and Irish club, county and invitational teams...
, but the game was played in atrocious icy weather and after Wales lost Bassett was blamed for not switching his team's style of play to accommodate the conditions. Boon was reselected for the 1932 Home Nations Championship
1932 Home Nations Championship
The 1932 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-eighth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Five Nations, and prior to that, the Home Nations, this was the forty-fifth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Six...
and Wales won their two opening matches against England and Scotland, Boon scoring a try in both games and also managed a 'freak' drop goal in the England match. Wales lost the final game against Ireland, robbing them of a successive championship crown.
In 1931, having qualified as a teacher, Boon left Wales to study at Dunfermline College of Education
Jordanhill College
Jordanhill Campus, in Jordanhill, Glasgow, Scotland, is now home to the Faculty of Education of the University of Strathclyde. Within the University of Strathclyde faculty of education, departments include Childhood and Primary Studies, Creative and Aesthetic Studies, Curricular Studies,...
, before teaching at Dunfermline High School
Dunfermline High School, Dunfermline
Dunfermline High School is one of four main high schools located in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The school also caters for pupils from Kincardine, Camdean and Rosyth. The school was founded in 1468 and has a proud history. Today it has over 1,550 pupils....
, while in Scotland he turned out for Dunfermline
Dunfermline RFC
Dunfermline Rugby Football Club are a rugby union team from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland.Established in 1893 the club play their home games at McKane Park.They currently play in Scottish National Leagues division 1.Their strip is royal blue and white....
, though would still play for Cardiff when ever he could. In 1933 Boon was chosen to face 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...
, a stadium Wales had failed to win at in ten attempts. Captained by Watcyn Thomas
Watcyn Thomas
Watcyn Thomas was a Welsh rugby union player who captained Wales in the early 1930s.Thomas was born in Llanelli and educated at Llanelli County School and at University College, Swansea. While still at school he was the first captain of the newly formed Welsh Secondary Schools XV in 1924. He then...
, Boon later argued that the Welsh forwards deserved all the credit for the Welsh victory even though Boon scored all the Welsh points in a 7-3 victory. At half-time, England led the game 3-0 with a try from Walter Elliot; but soon after the restart, England's Ronald Gerrard
Ronald Gerrard
Major Ronald Anderson Gerrard was an English rugby union international. He also played first-class cricket for Somerset....
kicked a loose ball across the ground straight into Boon's arms, and he calmly drop kicked the ball through the posts to take a 4-3 lead. A few minutes later Boon had extended the lead when the ball came back from a maul to Davey, who passed to Boon, and with the English defence out of position, he crossed at the corner and touched the ball down behind the posts for a try. Vivian Jenkins
Vivian Jenkins
Vivian Gordon James Jenkins was a Welsh rugby union player who, having taught Classics and Games at Dover College, went on to have a successful career as a sports journalist. He won 14 caps for Wales and 1 cap for the British and Irish Lions. He also played first-class cricket with...
converted the try which was registered on the score board, but strangely the referee would later disallow the attempt after the game. The decision did not change the result, and Wales had finally beaten the 'Twickenham bogey' and Boon was hailed as a Welsh hero. Boon missed the next game against Scotland due to a knee injury but was back to face Ireland. Wales lost the game and the Welsh selectors dropped 11 of the squad from future fixtures. Those that never played for Wales again after that game included Watcyn Thomas, Arthur Lemon
Arthur Lemon
Arthur Whitelock Lemon was a Welsh international number 8 who played club rugby for Neath and was capped 13 times for Wales.-International rugby career:...
, Harry Bowcott
Harry Bowcott
Harry Bowcott was a Welsh international rugby union centre who played club rugby for Cardiff and London Welsh and later became president of the Welsh Rugby Union.-Club career:...
, Lonza Bowdler
Lonza Bowdler
Frank "Lonza" Bowdler was a Welsh rugby union hooker who played club rugby for Cross Keys and was capped 15 times for Wales...
and Boon himself.
International matches played
Wales 1931, 1932, 1933 1930, 1931 1931, 1932, 1933 1930, 1931, 1932 1931Cricket career
Before his move to DunfermlineDunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
, Boon tried out at cricket for Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
. He played just eleven first class games, bowling only 11 overs and averaging just 13.47 with the bat.
Territorial Army
Shortly after his move to Scotland, Boon was commissioned a second lieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the 56th (Highland) Medium Brigade, Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, Territorial Army on 3 May 1933, He was and promoted to lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 3 May 1936. He transferred to 227th Anti-Aircraft Battery on 1 February 1938, but with his move south to Brighton, transferred to the TA reserve of officers, on the list of 71st (Forth) Anti-Aircraft Brigade. Although he remained in the reserve until 30 September 1959 when he reached the age limit for service, he does not appear to have served in the Second World War, presumably because teaching was a reserved occupation
Reserved occupation
A reserved occupation is an occupation considered important enough to a country that those serving in such occupations are exempt - in fact forbidden - from military service....
. He also represented the TA at rugby.
Later life
Boon stayed at Dunfermline until 1938, before heading south to Brighton. He would later become an inspector of schools and after returning to Wales became a councillor for South Glamorgan County Council. Boon kept his links with rugby and as well as becoming secretary of London Welsh from 1961 to 1969, he also became president of Barry RFCBarry RFC
Barry Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Barry in Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues.....
and served on the Sports Council of Wales. Boon emigrated to New Zealand in 1995 and died there in 1998.