Billy Sheehan (rugby)
Encyclopedia
William Beverley James "Billy" Sheehan (c. 1903 – c. 1957) was an Australian rugby union
player, a state
and national representative fly-half in the 1920s. Eighteen of his New South Wales state
appearances have since been decreed as Test matches
by the Australian Rugby Union
and Sheehan, who led the side in three such matches in 1923, was therefore a captain of the Australian national team.
. He won university blues in 1921, 1923, 1924, 1926 and 1927 and captained the club to premiership victory in the Shute Shield
in 1923 and 1924.
His representative debut came in 1921 when the South African national rugby union team made their inaugural tour of Australia and Sheehan was picked at half-back for New South Wales
in all three matches against them. With no Queensland Rugby Union
administration or competition in place from 1919 to 1929, the New South Wales Waratahs
were the top Australia
n representative rugby union
side of the period and a number of their 1920s fixtures played against full international opposition were decreed in 1986 as official Test matches, including the three of Sheehan's 1921 debut and fifteen other appearances he would make over the next six years.
In 1922 he appeared in all three Test in Sydney
against the visiting All Blacks
. In 1923 New Zealand Māori rugby union team
visited and Sheehan played all of the three match series in which the Waratahs were undefeated. On the 1923 tour of New Zealand and aged just twenty, Sheehan was honoured with the captaincy of the Waratahs side in all three Tests. He also captained the side in four other tour matches. He then appeared at five-eighth in two Tests at home when the All Blacks
toured in 1924. He was focused on his medical studies in 1925 but in 1926 returned to the national side for three Tests in 1926.
He was selected for the 1927–28 Waratahs tour of the British Isles, France and Canada though he traveled separately to the team as he was completing his medical exams. He played in the Tests against Wales
and Scotland
in the centres and playing in ten other tour matches in which on a number of occasions he took over as five-eighth from Tom Lawton
.
Following the tour the stayed in England for a period to further his medical studies before returning to Australia.
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...
player, a state
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
and national representative fly-half in the 1920s. Eighteen of his New South Wales state
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
appearances have since been decreed as Test matches
Test match (rugby union)
Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport....
by the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
and Sheehan, who led the side in three such matches in 1923, was therefore a captain of the Australian national team.
Rugby career
Following his time at The King's School in Sydney, Sheehan was accepted to study medicine at Sydney University and stated his club rugby at the Sydney University Football ClubSydney University Football Club
Sydney University Football Club, founded in 1863 , is the oldest club now playing rugby union in Australia, and as such is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Australian Rugby" or simply "The Birthplace".The club are the current NSWRU Premiers.The club was a member of the inaugural Sydney club competition...
. He won university blues in 1921, 1923, 1924, 1926 and 1927 and captained the club to premiership victory in the Shute Shield
Shute Shield
The Shute Shield is a rugby union competition in Sydney, New South Wales. It is the premier grade rugby trophy in NSW rugby. The Shute Shield is awarded at the end of the Sydney Club Rugby season to the team that wins the Grand Final...
in 1923 and 1924.
His representative debut came in 1921 when the South African national rugby union team made their inaugural tour of Australia and Sheehan was picked at half-back for New South Wales
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
in all three matches against them. With no Queensland Rugby Union
Queensland Rugby Union
The Queensland Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Queensland. It is a member and founding union of the Australian Rugby Union.-See also:*Queensland Reds*Australian Rugby Union*The Wallabies*Rugby union in Queensland...
administration or competition in place from 1919 to 1929, the New South Wales Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
were the top Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n representative 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...
side of the period and a number of their 1920s fixtures played against full international opposition were decreed in 1986 as official Test matches, including the three of Sheehan's 1921 debut and fifteen other appearances he would make over the next six years.
In 1922 he appeared in all three Test in Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
against the visiting All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. In 1923 New Zealand Māori rugby union team
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
visited and Sheehan played all of the three match series in which the Waratahs were undefeated. On the 1923 tour of New Zealand and aged just twenty, Sheehan was honoured with the captaincy of the Waratahs side in all three Tests. He also captained the side in four other tour matches. He then appeared at five-eighth in two Tests at home when the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
toured in 1924. He was focused on his medical studies in 1925 but in 1926 returned to the national side for three Tests in 1926.
He was selected for the 1927–28 Waratahs tour of the British Isles, France and Canada though he traveled separately to the team as he was completing his medical exams. He played in the Tests against 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 Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in the centres and playing in ten other tour matches in which on a number of occasions he took over as five-eighth from Tom Lawton
Tom Lawton, Snr
Tom Lawton Snr was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative five-eighth who made 44 appearances for the Wallabies, played in 14 Test matches and captained the national side on ten occasions....
.
Following the tour the stayed in England for a period to further his medical studies before returning to Australia.