George Littlewood Hirst
Encyclopedia
George Littlewood Hirst (5 May 1890 – 30 July 1967) was a Welsh
international rugby union
player. He was educated at Emanuel School
in London and played club rugby for Pontypool
and Newport and invitational rugby for the Barbarians
.
on 3 February 1912 against Scotland. Under the captaincy of Dicky Owen
, Wales won the game 21-6, with Hirst and fellow debutant Reggie Plummer
scoring a try
each. Hirst had difficulty holding his role in the Welsh team, and was replaced by Bryn Lewis
and later Billy Geen
. Hirst recovered his place the next year when he was again selected to face Scotland in the 1913 Five Nations Championship
. Hirst was again on the winning team, but found himself dropped once more. In the 1914 Championship
Hirst managed to hold down the role on the wing when he played in all four matches, losing only once, in the opening game against England. During the tournament, Hirst scored a further two tries and two drop goals.
Hirst's international career was cut short by the outbreak of World War I, but he returned to rugby when the war ended. He played in two matches for the Barbarians in 1919 before he sustained a broken leg in a charity game that ended his playing career.
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...
player. He was educated at Emanuel School
Emanuel School
Emanuel School is a co-educational independent school in Battersea, south-west London. The school was founded by Lady Dacre and Elizabeth I in 1594. Today it has some 710 pupils, aged between ten and eighteen.-History:...
in London and played club rugby for 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...
and Newport and invitational rugby for the Barbarians
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...
.
Rugby career
Hirst made his debut for WalesWales 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...
on 3 February 1912 against Scotland. Under the captaincy of Dicky Owen
Dicky Owen
Dicky Owen was a Welsh international scrum-half who played club rugby for Swansea RFC Owen is seen as one of the greatest Welsh scrum-halves and won 35 caps for Wales between 1901 and 1912, a record that was unbeaten until 1955 when Ken Jones surpassed him.-Influence in rugby:Born Richard Morgan...
, Wales won the game 21-6, with Hirst and fellow debutant Reggie Plummer
Reg Plummer (rugby player)
Reg Plummer was a Welsh international, rugby union wing who played club rugby for Newport and invitational rugby with both the Barbarians and Crawshays RFC...
scoring a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
each. Hirst had difficulty holding his role in the Welsh team, and was replaced by Bryn Lewis
Bryn Lewis
Major Brinley 'Bryn' Lewis was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Newport and Cambridge University. He is one of twelve Welsh internationals to have died in active duty during World War I....
and later Billy Geen
Billy Geen
William "Billy" Purdon Geen was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Newport and county rugby for Monmouthshire. Geen was selected for Wales on three occasions.-Rugby career:...
. Hirst recovered his place the next year when he was again selected to face Scotland in the 1913 Five Nations Championship
1913 Five Nations Championship
The 1913 Five Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-first series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. Hirst was again on the winning team, but found himself dropped once more. In the 1914 Championship
1914 Five Nations Championship
The 1914 Five Nations Championship was the fifth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-second series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
Hirst managed to hold down the role on the wing when he played in all four matches, losing only once, in the opening game against England. During the tournament, Hirst scored a further two tries and two drop goals.
Hirst's international career was cut short by the outbreak of World War I, but he returned to rugby when the war ended. He played in two matches for the Barbarians in 1919 before he sustained a broken leg in a charity game that ended his playing career.