Billy Douglas (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
William 'Billy' Douglas (2 July 1863 - 24 September 1943) was a Welsh
rugby union
back who played club rugby for Cardiff
and international rugby for Wales
. Douglas was also a rugby referee, and officiated over four international matches.
as the senior club captain. Douglas was first selected to play for the Welsh national team as part of the 1886 Home Nations Championship
in the opening game against England. The team was captained by Newport's Charlie Newman
and Douglas was one of three Cardiff players gaining their first cap in the game. Although Wales lost the game, the margin was low and Douglas was re-selected for the very next Welsh international, this time to Scotland. Wales lost this game, but due to a dispute with Ireland failed to complete all the matches in the tournament. In the next year's tournament
Douglas was selected for the first two games. The first was a drawn game against England at Llanelli, the country's best result to date against the English. His fourth and final game was the team's second game of the 1887 Championship, away to Scotland, which Wales again lost.
Four years after the end of his international playing career, Douglas began his international refereeing career. Douglas was chosen to referee the 1891 Home Nations Championship
match between Ireland and England at Lansdowne Road
. His second match as referee was in 1894
, in a match between England and Ireland played this time a the Rectory Field. His final two international games as a referee were both between England and Scotland, in 1896 and 1903. The 1903 match was of particular note, as it saw the only appearance of Scotland's John Dallas, who also scored a try in the game. Dallas would himself go on to referee at international level, in the infamous 1905 game between Wales and New Zealand.
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...
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...
back 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...
and international rugby 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...
. Douglas was also a rugby referee, and officiated over four international matches.
Rugby career
Douglas played club rugby for Cardiff, and in the 1885–86 season he succeeded Frank HancockFrank Hancock
Francis Escott "Frank" Hancock was an English-born rugby union centre who played club rugby for Somerset and Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. Hancock is best known as being the sport's first fourth threequarter player, which changed the formation of rugby union play that lasts to the...
as the senior club captain. Douglas was first selected to play for the Welsh national team as part of the 1886 Home Nations Championship
1886 Home Nations Championship
The 1886 Home Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 2 January and 13 March 1886. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales...
in the opening game against England. The team was captained by Newport's Charlie Newman
Charlie Newman
Charlie Newman was a Welsh international three-quarter who played club rugby for Newport. He was awarded ten caps for Wales and captained the team on six occasions. An original member of the Newport squad he captained the team in the 1882/83 season.-Personal life:Newman was born Newport in 1857 to...
and Douglas was one of three Cardiff players gaining their first cap in the game. Although Wales lost the game, the margin was low and Douglas was re-selected for the very next Welsh international, this time to Scotland. Wales lost this game, but due to a dispute with Ireland failed to complete all the matches in the tournament. In the next year's tournament
1887 Home Nations Championship
The 1887 Home Nations Championship was the fifth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 8 January and 12 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
Douglas was selected for the first two games. The first was a drawn game against England at Llanelli, the country's best result to date against the English. His fourth and final game was the team's second game of the 1887 Championship, away to Scotland, which Wales again lost.
Four years after the end of his international playing career, Douglas began his international refereeing career. Douglas was chosen to referee the 1891 Home Nations Championship
1891 Home Nations Championship
The 1891 Home Nations Championship was the ninth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 3 January and 7 March...
match between Ireland and England at Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
. His second match as referee was in 1894
1894 Home Nations Championship
The 1894 Home Nations Championship was the twelfth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 6 January and 17 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, in a match between England and Ireland played this time a the Rectory Field. His final two international games as a referee were both between England and Scotland, in 1896 and 1903. The 1903 match was of particular note, as it saw the only appearance of Scotland's John Dallas, who also scored a try in the game. Dallas would himself go on to referee at international level, in the infamous 1905 game between Wales and New Zealand.