Glyn Prosser
Encyclopedia
Glyn Prosser was a Welsh
international rugby union
flanker who played club rugby for Neath
and was capped four times for Wales
. An aggressive wing forward, Prosser is best known for being a member of the Wales team that beat the touring New Zealanders in 1935.
, before moving to first class side Neath. It was with Neath that Prosser first played against international opposition, when he was chosen for a joint Neath / Aberavon
team to face the touring South Africans
in 1931. It was a very close game that was 3-3, when in a final attack, the South Africans scored the winning try.
Prosser trialed for the Wales team as early as the 1931/32 season but did not gain his first cap until the 1934 Home Nations Championship
, when he was selected to face England. The match was played at the Cardiff Arms Park
under the captaincy of first time international John Evans
, and the inexperienced Welsh team were poor in comparison to England. Out of 13 new caps on the day, five, including Evans, never played for Wales again, but Prosser returned in the next two games of the tournament, now led by the more reliable Claude Davey
. Although Wales won these two games, Prosser was not reselected for the next years Championship.
In 1935, Prosser was given another chance to face international tourist when Neath joined up with Aberavon again to face the touring All Blacks
. Although the joint team lost to New Zealand
Prosser brought his familiar style of offensive forward play through the All Black back division, and did enough to gain the favour of the Welsh selectors. Prosser played his final game for Wales one week later when he was chosen to face the same touring New Zealanders. It was a famous win for Wales, even though they lost their hooker
with a broken neck ten minutes before the end of the game.
In 1936, Prosser severed his ties with rugby union by signing for professional rugby league
club Huddersfield RLFC.
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...
flanker who played club rugby for Neath
Neath RFC
Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem...
and was capped four times 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...
. An aggressive wing forward, Prosser is best known for being a member of the Wales team that beat the touring New Zealanders in 1935.
Rugby career
Prosser first played rugby for his home town, GlynneathGlynneath RFC
Glynneath RFC are a Welsh Rugby Union club playing in Division Three South West of the WRU National Leagues. The Club has win a number of honours over the years, including the locally famous Invincibles of the 1961-62 season captained by Bas Thomas....
, before moving to first class side Neath. It was with Neath that Prosser first played against international opposition, when he was chosen for a joint Neath / Aberavon
Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh town of Port Talbot, although the club's name refers to the older settlement of Aberavon which lies on the western side of the town...
team to face the touring South Africans
1931-32 South Africa rugby union tour
The 1931-32 South Africa tour of Britain and Ireland was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the South Africa national rugby union team against the four British Home Nation teams. The tour also took in several matches against British and Irish club, county and invitational teams...
in 1931. It was a very close game that was 3-3, when in a final attack, the South Africans scored the winning try.
Prosser trialed for the Wales team as early as the 1931/32 season but did not gain his first cap until the 1934 Home Nations Championship
1934 Home Nations Championship
The 1934 Home Nations Championship was the thirtieth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Five Nations, and prior to that, the Home Nations, this was the forty-seventh series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Six matches...
, when he was selected to face England. The match was played at the Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
under the captaincy of first time international John Evans
John Evans (rugby player)
John Raymond Evans was a Welsh international rugby union hooker who played club rugby for Newport. Evans joined Newport after showing promise as a Welsh Schools players, winning three caps while at Newport High School. Evans captained Newport on two occasions, once in 1935/36 season and again in...
, and the inexperienced Welsh team were poor in comparison to England. Out of 13 new caps on the day, five, including Evans, never played for Wales again, but Prosser returned in the next two games of the tournament, now led by the more reliable Claude Davey
Claude Davey
Claude Davey was a Wales international rugby union player who played club rugby for several teams, most notably Sale and Swansea. He was awarded 23 caps for Wales and captained his country eight times...
. Although Wales won these two games, Prosser was not reselected for the next years Championship.
In 1935, Prosser was given another chance to face international tourist when Neath joined up with Aberavon again to face the touring All Blacks
1935-36 New Zealand rugby union tour of the British Isles and Canada
-Matches:-Three-Quarters:* N. Ball * H.M. Brown * G.F. Hart * N.A. Mitchell * C.J. Oliver -Five-eighths:* J.L. Griffiths * T.H.C. Caughey * J.R. Page...
. Although the joint team lost to New Zealand
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....
Prosser brought his familiar style of offensive forward play through the All Black back division, and did enough to gain the favour of the Welsh selectors. Prosser played his final game for Wales one week later when he was chosen to face the same touring New Zealanders. It was a famous win for Wales, even though they lost their hooker
Don Tarr
Donald "Don" James Tarr was a Welsh international hooker who played club rugby for Swansea and Cardiff, county rugby for Hampshire and invitational rugby for the Barbarians...
with a broken neck ten minutes before the end of the game.
In 1936, Prosser severed his ties with rugby union by signing for professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club Huddersfield RLFC.