William David Phillips
Encyclopedia
William David Phillips was a Welsh
international rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Cardiff Rugby Football Club
and international rugby for Wales
. He won five caps for Wales and would later become a central figure in the early history of the Welsh Rugby Union
.
, Barry Girling
and Leonard Watkins
. The Welsh team were humiliated when the English scored 13 tries without reply, and the press attacked the Welsh Union secretary Richard Mullock
for choosing a 'private' team of friends and elitists rather than the best players available. Phillips himself was a strong supporter of Mulloch, and when Mulloch was challenged in his position as secretary, it was Phillips, along with Horace Lyne
, who voiced their opinion strongest in his support.
Despite the heavy defeat, Phillips was re-selected to play for Wales in the next game against Ireland, one of only four players to hold their place. Under the captaincy of Charles Lewis
, Wales beat the Irish by two goals and two tries to nil. Despite the win, Phillips would miss the next two Wales games, but was back in the squad for all three of the matches in the 1884 Home Nations Championship
. Wales lost two and one one of the games, the victory was again against Ireland and was Phillips last international game.
Phillips continued his close connection with Welsh rugby, when in 1887
he was chosen to referee the Home Nations match between Ireland and England. His second and final international match he would officiate was the 1889 Championship
game between Ireland and Scotland in Belfast. In 1892, after his international career had come to an end; Phillips was chosen as one of four vice-presidents of the WRU, representing the East Wales region along with Horace Lyne. From 1887 until 1907, Phillips was one of the Welsh representatives on the International Rugby Board
.
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 Cardiff Rugby Football Club
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 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...
. He won five caps for Wales and would later become a central figure in the early history of 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...
.
Rugby career
Phillips came to note as a rugby player while playing for first class club Cardiff and in the 1879/80 season he was elected as club captain for the first team. Phillips would keep the captaincy for three seasons in total, the first player to regain the captaincy in the club's history. In 1881, Phillips was selected to play for the first representative Welsh international team, in a game against England. Phillips was one of four Cardiff players in the first match, along with B. B. MannB. B. Mann
Bathurst Bellers Mann was an Irish-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales...
, Barry Girling
Barry Girling
Barry Edward Girling was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. He won a single cap for Wales, in the country's first international match.-Rugby career:...
and Leonard Watkins
Leonard Watkins
Leonard Watkins was a Welsh international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Cardiff Rugby Football Club and international rugby for Wales. He won just a single game for Wales when he was selected for the first ever Welsh rugby international.- Rugby career :Watkins was born in...
. The Welsh team were humiliated when the English scored 13 tries without reply, and the press attacked the Welsh Union secretary Richard Mullock
Richard 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...
for choosing a 'private' team of friends and elitists rather than the best players available. Phillips himself was a strong supporter of Mulloch, and when Mulloch was challenged in his position as secretary, it was Phillips, along with Horace Lyne
Horace Lyne
Horace Sampson Lyne MBE was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club. He won five caps for Wales and after retiring from playing rugby became the longest serving president of the Welsh Rugby Union...
, who voiced their opinion strongest in his support.
Despite the heavy defeat, Phillips was re-selected to play for Wales in the next game against Ireland, one of only four players to hold their place. Under the captaincy of 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:...
, Wales beat the Irish by two goals and two tries to nil. Despite the win, Phillips would miss the next two Wales games, but was back in the squad for all three of the matches in 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...
. Wales lost two and one one of the games, the victory was again against Ireland and was Phillips last international game.
Phillips continued his close connection with Welsh rugby, when in 1887
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....
he was chosen to referee the Home Nations match between Ireland and England. His second and final international match he would officiate was the 1889 Championship
1889 Home Nations Championship
The 1889 Home Nations Championship was the seventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Three matches were played between 2 February and 2 March. It was contested by Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
game between Ireland and Scotland in Belfast. In 1892, after his international career had come to an end; Phillips was chosen as one of four vice-presidents of the WRU, representing the East Wales region along with Horace Lyne. From 1887 until 1907, Phillips was one of the Welsh representatives on the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
.