Cliff Pritchard

Cliff Pritchard
Pritchard in Newport strip
Full name Clifford Charles Pritchard
Date of birth (1881-10-01)1 October 1881
Place of birth Pontypool, Wales
Date of death 14 December 1954(1954-12-14) (aged 73)
Place of death Pontypool, Monmouthshire[1]
School West Monmouth Grammar School
Notable relative(s) Charlie Pritchard (cousin)
Occupation(s) undertaker[2]
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Centre
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
1899-1906
1906
Newport RFC
Pontypool RFC
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1904-1906  Wales 5 (6)[3]

Cliff Pritchard (1881–1954) was a Welsh international centre who played club rugby for Newport RFC and Pontypool RFC. Pritchard was capped on five occasions and scored two tries for his country. He is best known as one of the Welsh squad that beat the 1905 touring All Blacks.

International career

1905 Wales squad, Pritchard, middle row, 2nd from right

Pritchard was first capped for his country in a winning game against Scotland in 1904; he was paired with seasoned international Rhys Gabe as a replacement for Gwyn Nicholls. His debut was reported in the South Wales Evening Post as "Once Pritchard got over early nervousness, he settled down to tackle well"[4]

Pritchard was not the first choice for the game against New Zealand in 1905, as Pritchard was a forward player and the role he was required to fill in at the edge of the scrum, for this particular game, required speed and vision.[5] He was known by the Welsh as the 'extra back' as his role required him to play up close to the scrum in defence, but also as an additional prong of attack.[6] On the day of the match against the All Blacks, Pritchard proved he had taken his role seriously and executed his position as a roving player to neutralise the New Zelender loose head during scrum play with great skill.[7] Pritchard was also part of the game's only try when he managed to collect a low pass from Dicky Owen, he drew the New Zealand centre Bob Deans and passed to Gabe, who in turn passed to the try scorer Teddy Morgan.[8]

International matches played[9]

Bibliography

References

  1. Newport RFC player profiles
  2. Parry-Jones (1999), pg 144.
  3. Welsh Rugby Union player profiles
  4. Parry-Jones (1999), pg 112.
  5. Parry-Jones (1999), pg 138.
  6. Smith (1980), pg 151.
  7. Parry-Jones (1999), pg 151.
  8. Parry-Jones (1999), pg 152.
  9. Smith (1980), pg 470.
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