William Yiend
Encyclopedia
William "Pusher" Yiend was an English
rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Hartlepool Rovers
and international rugby for England
. In 1890 Yiend became one of the original members of the Barbarians Football Club
. Yiend was also a cricketer, who represented Durham
for one season before the club joined the Minor Counties Championship.
, before they turned to rugby league
. Yiend was first selected to play international rugby for England in the country's first encounter with an overseas touring team; The New Zealand Natives. Despite a comfortable win over the New Zealand team, Yiend would not play for England for another two seasons.
During the 1890-91 season, Yiend was approached by William Percy Carpmael
to join his newly formed invitational tourists, the Barabarians. Yiend accepted and became a member of the first Barbarian squad.
Yiend was next selected for England during the 1892 Home Nations Championship
. Yiend played in all three games, each of which England won, making Yiend a Triple Crown
winning player. Yiend missed the opening game of the 1893 Championship
, but was back in the team to face Ireland in a narrow win. His final game was the encounter with Scotland in the same Championship tournament, and finished in a defeat, the only international game in which Yiend finished on the losing side.
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...
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 Hartlepool Rovers
Hartlepool Rovers
Hartlepool Rovers are an English rugby union club who play at The Friarage, West View Road in Hartlepool. Hartlepool Rovers have a coaching set-up with Alan Brown as head coach and Ian Cook as fitness guru.-History:...
and international rugby for 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 1890 Yiend became one of the original members of the Barbarians Football Club
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
. Yiend was also a cricketer, who represented Durham
Durham County Cricket Club
Durham 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 Durham. Its limited overs team is called the Durham Dynamos. Their kit colours are blue with yellow trim and the shirt sponsor was...
for one season before the club joined the Minor Counties Championship.
Rugby career
Yiend was born in Winchcomb in 1865 to William Yield, a mason and master grocer, and Emma Yiend. Yiend played for several teams before gaining international recognition, including Peterborough, and KeighleyKeighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars are a professional rugby league club from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. As of 2012 they will play in Co-operative Championship having won the Co-operative Championship 1 play off final 32-12 against Workington...
, before they turned to rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
. Yiend was first selected to play international rugby for England in the country's first encounter with an overseas touring team; The New Zealand Natives. Despite a comfortable win over the New Zealand team, Yiend would not play for England for another two seasons.
During the 1890-91 season, Yiend was approached by William Percy Carpmael
William Percy Carpmael
William Percy Carpmael was the founder and first president of the rugby union Barbarian Football Club. Carpmael was born the eldest of eight in Briscobel, Stretham in England.-Education and early career:...
to join his newly formed invitational tourists, the Barabarians. Yiend accepted and became a member of the first Barbarian squad.
Yiend was next selected for England during the 1892 Home Nations Championship
1892 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....
. Yiend played in all three games, each of which England won, making Yiend a 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...
winning player. Yiend missed the opening game of the 1893 Championship
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...
, but was back in the team to face Ireland in a narrow win. His final game was the encounter with Scotland in the same Championship tournament, and finished in a defeat, the only international game in which Yiend finished on the losing side.