Jack Whitfield

Jack Whitfield (23 March 1892 – 26 December 1927) was a Welsh international rugby union hooker who played club rugby for Newport and club rugby for Monmouthshire. He was an extremely powerful scrummager, but was not seen as skillful as the pre-war players produced by Wales.[4]

Jack Whitfield
Birth nameJohn James Whitfield
Date of birth(1892-03-23)23 March 1892
Place of birthNewport,[1] Monmouthshire
Date of death26 December 1927(1927-12-26) (aged 35)
Place of deathNewport, Monmouthshire
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm) [2]
Weight13 st 8 lb (190 lb; 86 kg)
Occupation(s)Fitter
publican
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
?-1919
1920-1926		 Pill Harriers RFC
Newport RFC
Monmouthshire		 ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1919–1924 Wales[3] 12 (15)

Rugby career

As a fitter in the Newport Docks, local dock team Pill Harriers was a natural choice to take on the front row skills of Whitfield. The Harriers, although seen as a lower league team, provided many Welsh players, especially front row hardmen like Whitfield. In 1919 he was selected for the Wales to face the touring New Zealand Services team. Over the next five years, now as a member of the Newport club, Whitfield was capped for Wales on 12 occasions and scored his first try on the 13 March 1920 against Ireland. In the 1922 Five Nations Championship, Whitfield was the leading try scorer of the tournament with four tries one against England and France, and two against Ireland. In the 1924 Championship, in a game against Scotland, Whitfield was given the captaincy for Wales. Wales lost the match heavily, with Scotland running in eight tries, it was Whitfield's only time as captain.

He died on Boxing Day 1927 at the Royal Gwent Hospital after a gastric ulcer operation.

International matches played Wales[5]

Bibliography
  • 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.

References
  1. Newport RFC player profiles Archived 2011-06-17 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Smith (1980), pg 205.
  3. WRU player profiles
  4. Smith (1980), pg 211.
  5. Smith (1980), pg 473.
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