Bill Tamplin
Encyclopedia
William Ewart 'Bill' Tamplin (10 May 1917 - 20 October 1989) was a Welsh
international rugby union
lock who played club rugby for Cardiff
. He won seven caps for Wales
and captained his country in their victory over the 1947 touring Australian team
.
Two of his brothers, Tom and Ewart, also played first class rugby but they never represented their country.
and then in 1939, Newport. Rugby was suspended for the duration of World War II and after the end of hostilities Tamplin joined Cardiff. Tamplin was selected to represent his country late in his rugby career when he was chosen to play, in the 1947 Five Nations Championship
. Although missing the opening game against England, Tamplin was selected for the remaining three games of the tournament. His first cap was against Scotland, under the captaincy of Haydn Tanner
. Wales enjoyed a high scoring victory, and Tamplin himself scored two conversions and a penalty goal. Tamplin also scored in the next two games of the Championship, with the winning penalty goal against France, and a conversion in the Irish match.
In December 1947 Tamplin was not only selected to play for Wales but would captain his country against the touring Australian in 1947. When Tamplin was selected to face Australia, he was still a Cardiff player, and as well as leading the Welsh team he also scored all the points in a victory over the Australians after two successful penalty kicks.
In the 1948 Five Nations Championship
, Tamplin played in three games, drawing against England, beating Scotland, but most importantly, losing on home soil to France. France were at the time the weakest team in the tournament, and had failed to win in Wales on nine successive occasions. It would be Tamplin's final international game.
Tamplin would also represent the invitational Barbarian's
.
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...
lock who played club rugby for Cardiff
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...
. He won seven caps 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...
and captained his country in their victory over the 1947 touring Australian team
1947-48 Australia rugby union tour of the British Isles, Ireland, France and North America
Between July 1947 and March 1948 the Australia national rugby union team – the Wallabies – conducted a world tour encompassing Ceylon, Britain, France and the United States on which they played five Tests and thirty-six minor tour matches...
.
Two of his brothers, Tom and Ewart, also played first class rugby but they never represented their country.
Rugby career
Tamplin first played club rugby for smaller second class clubs before joining PontypoolPontypool RFC
Pontypool Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in the town of Pontypool. Pontypool RFC has a long history within Welsh rugby and is one of the most notable clubs, being present at the formation of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1881, but disbanding before the turn of the 19th century...
and then in 1939, Newport. Rugby was suspended for the duration of World War II and after the end of hostilities Tamplin joined Cardiff. Tamplin was selected to represent his country late in his rugby career when he was chosen to play, in the 1947 Five Nations Championship
1947 Five Nations Championship
The 1947 Five Nations Championship was the eighteenth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-third series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played between 1...
. Although missing the opening game against England, Tamplin was selected for the remaining three games of the tournament. His first cap was against Scotland, under the captaincy of Haydn Tanner
Haydn Tanner
Haydn Tanner was a Welsh international rugby union player who also played for the British and Irish Lions and the Barbarians....
. Wales enjoyed a high scoring victory, and Tamplin himself scored two conversions and a penalty goal. Tamplin also scored in the next two games of the Championship, with the winning penalty goal against France, and a conversion in the Irish match.
In December 1947 Tamplin was not only selected to play for Wales but would captain his country against the touring Australian in 1947. When Tamplin was selected to face Australia, he was still a Cardiff player, and as well as leading the Welsh team he also scored all the points in a victory over the Australians after two successful penalty kicks.
In the 1948 Five Nations Championship
1948 Five Nations Championship
The 1948 Five Nations Championship was the nineteenth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-fourth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played between...
, Tamplin played in three games, drawing against England, beating Scotland, but most importantly, losing on home soil to France. France were at the time the weakest team in the tournament, and had failed to win in Wales on nine successive occasions. It would be Tamplin's final international game.
Tamplin would also represent the invitational Barbarian's
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...
.
International matches played
Wales 1947 1948 1947, 1948- IrelandIreland national rugby union teamThe Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
1947 1947, 1948