Wallace Watts
Encyclopedia
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| ru_nationalcaps = 12
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Wallace Howard Watts (25 March 1870–29 April 1950) was an English
-born international rugby union
player who played club rugby for Newport and international rugby for Wales
. Watts was part of the 1893 Wales team which won the country's first Triple Crown
. From 1892 Watts played for county team Gloustershire.
for him to be chosen for the Welsh national team. Although an Englishman by birth, the rules of nationality were more lax during the period, with three years residency required to represent your adopted country. Watts was one of three new caps in the pack for his first game, alongside Arthur Boucher
and Frank Mills
, but the campaign was disastrous for the Welsh losing all three games in the tournament, collecting the wooden spoon.
The next year
saw a complete turnaround in Welsh fortunes when, under the captaincy of Arthur Gould the team won all three games, taking the Triple Crown. Watts played in all three games and continued to represent Wales over the next three Championships, but never to the level of success as in 1893. His final game was the first match of the 1896 Championship
, a massive 25-0 loss.
In 1896, Watts moved to London and began playing for London exiles London Welsh, though he still represented Newport whenever he returned to Wales. He played for London Welsh until 1911, into his forties. He became Honorary Secretary of the club during the 1912/13 season.
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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...
| ru_nationalyears = 1892–1896
| ru_nationalcaps = 12
| ru_nationalpoints = (0)
| ru_ntupdate =
| ru_coachclubs =
| ru_coachyears =
| ru_coachupdate =
| other =
| occupation =
| spouse =
| children =
| relatives =
| school =
| university =
| url =
}}
Wallace Howard Watts (25 March 1870–29 April 1950) was an English
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 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...
player who played club rugby for Newport and international rugby 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...
. Watts was part of the 1893 Wales team which won the country's first Triple Crown
Triple Crown (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the four national teams of the British Isles who compete within the larger Six Nations Championship: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. If any one team manages to win all their games against the other three they win the...
. From 1892 Watts played for county team Gloustershire.
Rugby career
Watts first played for Newport in the 1889/90 season, but it took until the 1892 Home Nations Championship1892 Home Nations Championship
The 1892 Home Nations Championship was the tenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 2 January and 5 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
for him to be chosen for the Welsh national team. Although an Englishman by birth, the rules of nationality were more lax during the period, with three years residency required to represent your adopted country. Watts was one of three new caps in the pack for his first game, alongside Arthur Boucher
Arthur Boucher
Arthur Boucher was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport. Boucher was an adaptable player, who although selected mainly as a forward, often played at centre. He was strong, quick for his position and passed well on the run...
and Frank Mills
Frank Mills (rugby player)
Frank Musgrave Mills was an English-born rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and Swansea and won 13 caps for Wales...
, but the campaign was disastrous for the Welsh losing all three games in the tournament, collecting the wooden spoon.
The next year
1893 Home Nations Championship
The 1893 Home Nations Championship was the eleventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 17 January and 11 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
saw a complete turnaround in Welsh fortunes when, under the captaincy of Arthur Gould the team won all three games, taking the Triple Crown. Watts played in all three games and continued to represent Wales over the next three Championships, but never to the level of success as in 1893. His final game was the first match of the 1896 Championship
1896 Home Nations Championship
The 1896 Home Nations Championship was the fourteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 4 January and 14 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, a massive 25-0 loss.
In 1896, Watts moved to London and began playing for London exiles London Welsh, though he still represented Newport whenever he returned to Wales. He played for London Welsh until 1911, into his forties. He became Honorary Secretary of the club during the 1912/13 season.
International matches played
Wales 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896- 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...
1892, 1893, 1894, 1895 1892, 1893, 1894