Clive Rowlands
Encyclopedia
Clive Rowlands OBE
(born 14 May 1938 in Upper Cwmtwrch
) is a former Welsh
rugby union
footballer and later coach.
A teacher by profession, Rowlands played club rugby at scrum-half for Abercraf
, Pontypool
, Llanelli
and Swansea
. He captained Pontypool in the 1962 – 63 season, and captained Swansea in the 1967–1968 season
Unusually, his first cap for Wales
against England
in 1963 was as captain, a position which he retained for his next 13 caps between 1963 and 1965, leading Wales to their first Triple Crown
victory since 1952. He captained Wales in every game he played including Wales' first match outside of Europe and its first in the Southern Hemisphere
; played against East Africa
in Nairobi
on 12 May 1964, Wales winning 8-26.
In the 1963 Five Nations
match against Scotland
in wet and muddy conditions, Rowlands and David Watkins
decided to kick for touch as many times as possible, with the result that there were 111 line-outs in the match. Wales won 6-0 but the International Rugby Board
responded with a change in the laws, making it illegal to kick direct into touch except from within the team's own 22.
After retiring as a player, Rowlands was coach of the Welsh national team for 29 matches between 1968 and 1974, becoming the youngest person to hold this position. This was a successful period for Wales, including a Grand Slam
in 1971 and included the tour of New Zealand
in 1969. He was manager of the British and Irish Lions
tour to Australia
in 1989 and also managed the British Isles team versus a rest of the world team in 1986, as well as managing Wales in the 1987 Rugby World Cup. He was President of the Welsh Rugby Union
in 1989.
After recovering from cancer in the 1990s Rowlands has focused his attention on raising tens of thousands of pounds for cancer charities.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 14 May 1938 in Upper Cwmtwrch
Cwmtwrch
Cwmtwrch is a village in the Swansea Valley, Wales, some 15 miles north of Swansea.- History and origins :The name Cwmtwrch derives from the “Twrch Trwyth” a mythical wild boar of King Arthur’s legends and the ancient Welsh folklore tales of the Mabinogion in early Welsh literature...
) is a former Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
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...
footballer and later coach.
A teacher by profession, Rowlands played club rugby at scrum-half for Abercraf
Abercrave RFC
Abercrave Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team from Abercraf, which was founded in 1894. Abercrave currently have a Senior XV who play in the WRU Division Five South West league and is a feeder club for the Ospreys....
, Pontypool
Pontypool 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...
, Llanelli
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
and Swansea
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
. He captained Pontypool in the 1962 – 63 season, and captained Swansea in the 1967–1968 season
Unusually, his first cap 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...
against England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
in 1963 was as captain, a position which he retained for his next 13 caps between 1963 and 1965, leading Wales to their first Triple Crown
Triple Crown (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the four national teams of the British Isles who compete within the larger Six Nations Championship: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. If any one team manages to win all their games against the other three they win the...
victory since 1952. He captained Wales in every game he played including Wales' first match outside of Europe and its first in the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
; played against East Africa
East Africa rugby union team
Established in 1950, The East Africa rugby union team is a multi-national rugby union team drawing players from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, though the vast majority of these came from Kenya which has traditionally been the strongest rugby playing nation in this part of the world...
in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
on 12 May 1964, Wales winning 8-26.
In the 1963 Five Nations
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
match against 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 wet and muddy conditions, Rowlands and David Watkins
David Watkins
David Watkins may refer to:*David Watkins , Member of the Australian House of Representatives 1901–1935...
decided to kick for touch as many times as possible, with the result that there were 111 line-outs in the match. Wales won 6-0 but the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
responded with a change in the laws, making it illegal to kick direct into touch except from within the team's own 22.
After retiring as a player, Rowlands was coach of the Welsh national team for 29 matches between 1968 and 1974, becoming the youngest person to hold this position. This was a successful period for Wales, including a Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
in 1971 and included the tour of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1969. He was manager of the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
tour to Australia
1989 British Lions tour to Australia
In 1989 the British Lions toured Australia for the first time since 1971. Despite losing the first test, the Lions won the remaining two to take the series 2-1...
in 1989 and also managed the British Isles team versus a rest of the world team in 1986, as well as managing Wales in the 1987 Rugby World Cup. He was President of the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
in 1989.
After recovering from cancer in the 1990s Rowlands has focused his attention on raising tens of thousands of pounds for cancer charities.