Samuel Goldsworthy
Encyclopedia
Samuel James Goldsworthy (11 February 1855 – 28 September 1889) was a Welsh
international rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Swansea Rugby Football Club
. When Goldsworthy died in 1889 he was the first Wales rugby union international to die.
's Wales, against Ireland on 12 April 1884. Played as part of the 1884 Home Nations Championship
, this was Ireland's first international in Wales, and the Welsh selectors chose six new caps to represent Wales after the previous game against Scotland. Of the three new players introduced into the pack, Goldsworthy was the only player to represent Wales more than once, as Hinton
of Cardiff
and Roderick
of Llanelli
were dropped the very next game. Wales won the game by a drop goal and two tries to nil, and Goldsworthy was reselected the next season.
Wales only played two international matches in the 1884-85 season, but Goldsworthy played in both. The first was a home game at Swansea against England. Charlie Newman
regained his position and the captaincy, but the game is more notable as the first international for future Welsh rugby talisman Arthur 'Monkey' Gould. The selectors again reshuffled the Welsh pack, which saw three new forward caps, including Goldsworthy's Swansea team-mate, Evan Richards
. Wales lost the match, but a more stable team was chosen for the away game to Scotland. The first two encounters between the teams had resulted in Scottish victories, therefore the final result of nil-nil was an improvement for Wales, though the press was critical of Wales as the team employed spoiling tactics to kill the game.
Although Goldsworthy is credited as playing for Newport, he was only loaned for a single match.
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...
forward who played club rugby for Swansea Rugby Football Club
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
. When Goldsworthy died in 1889 he was the first Wales rugby union international to die.
Rugby career
Goldsworthy gained his first international cap, when he was selected to play for Joe SimpsonJoe Simpson (rugby player)
Henry Joseph 'Joe' Simpson Henry Joseph 'Joe' Simpson Henry Joseph 'Joe' Simpson ESPN Scrum.com was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff Rugby Football Club and international rugby for Wales...
's Wales, against Ireland on 12 April 1884. Played as part of the 1884 Home Nations Championship
1884 Home Nations Championship
The 1884 Home Nations Championship was the second series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 12 April 1884...
, this was Ireland's first international in Wales, and the Welsh selectors chose six new caps to represent Wales after the previous game against Scotland. Of the three new players introduced into the pack, Goldsworthy was the only player to represent Wales more than once, as Hinton
John Hinton (rugby player)
John Thomas Hinton was an Indian-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff Rugby Football Club and international rugby for Wales...
of 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...
and Roderick
Buckley Roderick
William Buckley Roderick was a Welsh solicitor, international rugby union forward and later a Vice-Consular for Spain...
of 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...
were dropped the very next game. Wales won the game by a drop goal and two tries to nil, and Goldsworthy was reselected the next season.
Wales only played two international matches in the 1884-85 season, but Goldsworthy played in both. The first was a home game at Swansea against England. Charlie Newman
Charlie Newman
Charlie Newman was a Welsh international three-quarter who played club rugby for Newport. He was awarded ten caps for Wales and captained the team on six occasions. An original member of the Newport squad he captained the team in the 1882/83 season.-Personal life:Newman was born Newport in 1857 to...
regained his position and the captaincy, but the game is more notable as the first international for future Welsh rugby talisman Arthur 'Monkey' Gould. The selectors again reshuffled the Welsh pack, which saw three new forward caps, including Goldsworthy's Swansea team-mate, Evan Richards
Evan Richards
Evan Sloane Richards was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea, captaining the club through three seasons during the 1880s. Richards' father was Member of Parliament for Ceredigion, Evan Matthew Richards.- Rugby career :Richards first came to prominence within...
. Wales lost the match, but a more stable team was chosen for the away game to Scotland. The first two encounters between the teams had resulted in Scottish victories, therefore the final result of nil-nil was an improvement for Wales, though the press was critical of Wales as the team employed spoiling tactics to kill the game.
Although Goldsworthy is credited as playing for Newport, he was only loaned for a single match.
External links
- Swansea RFC player profiles Contains picture of Goldsworthy in Welsh jersey and cap.