Samuel Clark (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Simmonds Clark was an English
-born rugby union
official and international rugby union full-back who played club rugby for Neath
. Clark was the first Neath player to win an international cap for Wales
while representing the club; and played in the second Welsh international match in 1882.
organised a Welsh XV to play England
in 1881, it was Clark who notified the press that "...the team which represented Wales was not elected by the committee of the South Wales Football Union; neither had they anything to do with it." Although this served in distancing the SWFU from the humiliating loss suffered by the Welsh team, it turned Mullock into the lone voice of Welsh international rugby.
On the 12 March 1881, eleven representatives of rugby clubs and colleges from around Wales met at the Castle Hotel in Neath and formed the Welsh Football Union, which would eventually be renamed the Welsh Rugby Union
. The biggest omission from the meeting was Neath RFC. Not only was the meeting held in Neath, the club was the oldest in Wales and both Clark as secretary and J.T.D. Llewellyn
as president of the SWFU were both Neath men. The SWFU had decided not to attend the meeting, which would form a union, which in turn would replace itself. After the March meeting the WRU took up the functions of the SWFU which never met again.
Although slighted at being replaced from his duties, Clark was soon on good terms with the WRU, and on 28 January 1882 he was chosen to represent Wales in their second international
game. The game was played away from home at Lansdowne Road
, and was the first ever meeting between the Welsh and Irish rugby teams. Clark was paired at full-back with Charles Lewis
, and although an acrimonious match, Wales won by two goals to nil. Clark would need to wait over five years for his second and final international cap, again played against Ireland. The match was the final game of the 1887 Home Nations Championship
, with Clark brought in to replace Cardiff's
Hugh 'Sawdust' Hughes
. The Welsh full-back position was in a phase of transition, and Clark was one of five different players would take up the role in the eight games leading up to Billy Bancroft
taking the position long-term. Although Wales were victorious over Ireland, Clark was himself replaced for the next season by Ned Roberts
.
After his playing career, Clark became secretary for Neath RFC.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born 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...
official and international rugby union full-back who played club rugby for Neath
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...
. Clark was the first Neath player to win an international cap 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...
while representing the club; and played in the second Welsh international match in 1882.
Rugby career
Clark was born in Dorset in 1857, but moved to Wales while in his childhood. By 1874, at the age of 17 he began playing for Neath Rugby Football Club, and on 27 April 1880 he was appointed as the secretary of the South Wales Football Association. The SWFU was a body, although only formed in 1878, which was attempting to organise rugby events within South Wales and was Welsh rugby's first union. When Richard MullockRichard Mullock
Richard Mullock was a Welsh sporting administrator and official, who is most notable for organising the first Welsh rugby union international game and was instrumental in the creation of the Welsh Football Union, which became the Welsh Rugby Union in 1934...
organised a Welsh XV to play England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
in 1881, it was Clark who notified the press that "...the team which represented Wales was not elected by the committee of the South Wales Football Union; neither had they anything to do with it." Although this served in distancing the SWFU from the humiliating loss suffered by the Welsh team, it turned Mullock into the lone voice of Welsh international rugby.
On the 12 March 1881, eleven representatives of rugby clubs and colleges from around Wales met at the Castle Hotel in Neath and formed the Welsh Football Union, which would eventually be renamed the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
. The biggest omission from the meeting was Neath RFC. Not only was the meeting held in Neath, the club was the oldest in Wales and both Clark as secretary and J.T.D. Llewellyn
John Talbot Dillwyn Llewellyn
Sir John Talbot Dillwyn-Llewellyn, 1st Baronet was a Welsh Conservative Member of Parliament who was notable for his links to Welsh sports.-Background and education:...
as president of the SWFU were both Neath men. The SWFU had decided not to attend the meeting, which would form a union, which in turn would replace itself. After the March meeting the WRU took up the functions of the SWFU which never met again.
Although slighted at being replaced from his duties, Clark was soon on good terms with the WRU, and on 28 January 1882 he was chosen to represent Wales in their second international
1881-82 Home Nations rugby union matches
The 1881-82 Home Nations rugby union matches are a series of international friendlies held between the England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales national rugby union teams. This was the last season before the introduction of the Home Nations Championship and was the last time the teams involved faced...
game. The game was played away from home at Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
, and was the first ever meeting between the Welsh and Irish rugby teams. Clark was paired at full-back with Charles Lewis
Charles Lewis (rugby player)
Charles Prytherch Lewis was a Welsh international rugby union player, who won five caps between 1882 and 1884.-Life:...
, and although an acrimonious match, Wales won by two goals to nil. Clark would need to wait over five years for his second and final international cap, again played against Ireland. The match was the final game of the 1887 Home Nations Championship
1887 Home Nations Championship
The 1887 Home Nations Championship was the fifth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 8 January and 12 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
, with Clark brought in to replace Cardiff's
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...
Hugh 'Sawdust' Hughes
Hugh Hughes (rugby player)
Hugh 'Sawdust' Hughes was an international rugby union player who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. Although very little personal information is available for Hughes, he is notable for facing the touring New Zealand Māoris, the first touring Southern Hempishere rugby...
. The Welsh full-back position was in a phase of transition, and Clark was one of five different players would take up the role in the eight games leading up 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....
taking the position long-term. Although Wales were victorious over Ireland, Clark was himself replaced for the next season by Ned Roberts
Ned Roberts
Edward 'Ned' John Roberts was a Welsh international rugby union fullback who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales.-Rugby career:...
.
After his playing career, Clark became secretary for Neath RFC.