George Travers (rugby union)
Birth name | George Travers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 9 June 1877 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Newport, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 26 December 1945 | (aged 68)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Newport, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 12 st (168 lb; 76 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Trinity Church School, Newport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Bunner Travers, son | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | coal trimmer[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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George "Twyber" Travers (9 June 1877 – 26 December 1945) was a Welsh international hooker who played club rugby for Pill Harriers[4] and Newport Rugby Football Club.[4] He won 25 caps for Wales between 1903 and 1911.[4]
Travers is seen as one of the rugby union's first specialist hookers.[1][5] Specialism in a forward position was unusual during the early history of rugby mainly due to the scrummaging rule, but Travers's ability shone through and as part of a seven-man pack was important in the Welsh wins against England in 1903 and against the All Blacks in 1905. Travers originally played club rugby for the Newport Docks-based side Pill Harriers, though he would later spend two seasons with Newport in 1901/02 and 1910/11.
International career[]
Travers was first capped, at centre, making his debut against England in January, 1903 while playing for Pill Harriers. Although it was unusual at the time for unfashionable "second-class" clubs to supply international players, it was not unprecedented, with valley teams such as Treorchy and Treherbert supplying several forwards. He would play for Wales a further 24 times including games against the original New Zealand team, South Africa and Australia. In 1908 Travers was awarded the Welsh captaincy against Scotland[1] at Swansea a game Wales would win 6-5, though this was the only time he would hold this honour. His only international points were against the Australian Wallabies, a game Wales won 9-6, though it has been later recognised by both sides that Travers dropped the ball before going over the line and the try should not have counted.[1]
International matches played[]
Wales[6]
- Australia 1908
- England 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909
- France 1908, 1911
- Ireland 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911
- New Zealand 1905
- Scotland 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911
- South Africa 1906
Bibliography[]
- Parry-Jones, David (1999). Prince Gwyn, Gwyn Nicholls and the First Golden Era of Welsh Rugby. Bridgend: seren. ISBN 1-85411-262-7.
- Smith, David; Williams, Gareth (1980). Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-0766-3.
- Thomas, Wayne (1979). A Century of Welsh Rugby Players. Ansells Ltd.
References[]
- ^ a b c d Thomas (1979), pg 40.
- ^ "Newport RFC player profiles". Archived from the original on 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ^ Welsh Rugby Union player profiles[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c Smith (1980), pg 136
- ^ Parry-Jones (1999), pg 102.
- ^ Smith (1980), pg 472.
- 1877 births
- 1945 deaths
- Mountain Ash RFC players
- Newport RFC players
- Rugby union players from Newport, Wales
- Pill Harriers RFC players
- Monmouthshire County RFC players
- Rugby union hookers
- Wales international rugby union players
- Wales rugby union captains
- Welsh rugby union players