Harry Bowen
Encyclopedia
David Henry "Harry" Bowen (4 May 1864
– 17 August 1913
) was a Welsh
international rugby union
player who played club rugby for Llanelli
and international rugby for Wales
. He is best remembered as a popular Llanelli captain, who scored the winning dropped goal against the 1888 touring New Zealand Māori
.
against England in the inaugural game of the new competition. Under the captaincy of Charles Lewis
, Bowen was one of three Llanelli players chosen for the game, and along with team-mates Alfred Cattell
and Thomas Judson
became the first player to represent Llanelli at international level. The game was a one sided affair, with England victorious, though the Welsh play was of a higher standard than the first encounter between the teams. The next game of the tournament was an away match to Scotland, and Wales experimented with one full-back player for the first time. Bowen was one of the full-backs, paired for the England game with captain Lewis, the selectors favoured Lewis, and Bowen was dropped.
In 1884 Bowen was part of the Llanelli squad which reached the final of the 1884 South Wales Challenge Cup, facing Newport. Played at Neath
, Llanelli beat Newport by one try to nil. In 1886 the same two teams met each other again in the final of the same competition, this time Bowen was captain of Llanelli. When Llanelli were again victorious, their return to the town was celebrated by the locals who greeted them with thousands of rockets and coloured lights. 'Touchstone', the Western Mail's sporting correspondent suggested that Bowen should be "memorialized in a tinplate statue".
1884 also saw Bowen move North for a short period, when he signed for Dewsbury; but after playing "only a handful of games", he returned to play in Wales.
In 1886 Bowen found himself back in the Welsh squad after Newport's Arthur 'Monkey' Gould, who had taken Charles Lewis' position, switched from full-back into the three-quarters. This gave Bowen three more caps, both games in the 1886 Championship
and the opener in 1887
. After losing to England in the first game of the 1886 tournament, Wales and Cardiff
captain Frank Hancock
famously decided to trial the four three-quarter system. Although Wales were strong in their fast moving back-play, the power of the Scottish pack, now with a man advantage, began to dominate the forward play. The Welsh forwards appeared loathe to give the backs the ball, so during the game the four three-quarter tactic was abandoned and it was decided that Bowen would move into the pack to provide reinforcement, while Gould dropped to full-back. This was seen by some supporters as a 'political' move by the Cardiff captain, sacrificing a Llanelli player to allow Gould the full-back position. The Guardian
wrote, "to please Cardiff, four three quarters were played with disastrous results. When room had to be made for a Cardiff man, a Llanellyite, of course, had to make way for him." Bowen would play one more game for Wales, a nil-nil draw with England at Stradey Park
in 1887, and was replaced by Hugh Hughes
in the next game of the tournament; but Wales had difficulty finding a long-term full-back until the appearance of Billy Bancroft
during the 1889/90 season.
In 1888, with his international rugby career behind him, Bowen played in his most notable game when he was part of the Llanelli team that face the touring New Zealand Natives
. Bowen not only scored a spectacular dropped goal from near the halfway line, which brought Llanelli the victory; but also charged down an on target kick at goal form the Māori that would have levelled the game. Although Bowen played a vital role in the game, he was not chosen for the Welsh team that faced the Māori three days later at Swansea.
After retiring from playing rugby, Bowen retained his links with rugby union
by becoming a Welsh selector and later, a rugby referee. He refereed just one international, the 1905 Home Nations Championship
encounter between England and Scotland.
1864 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1864 to Wales and its people.-Incumbents:*Prince of Wales - Edward Albert, son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom*Princess of Wales - Alexandra of Denmark-Events:...
– 17 August 1913
1913 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1913 to Wales and its people.-Incumbents:*Prince of Wales - Edward, Prince of Wales, son of King George V of the United Kingdom*Princess of Wales - vacant...
) was a Welsh
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 who played club rugby for 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 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...
. He is best remembered as a popular Llanelli captain, who scored the winning dropped goal against the 1888 touring New Zealand Māori
1888-1889 New Zealand Native football team
The 1888–1889 New Zealand Native football team was a New Zealand football team that toured Britain, Australia and New Zealand in 1888 and 1889. The team was composed mainly of players of Māori ancestry, although several Pakeha were included in the squad. The tour was a private endeavour, and was...
.
Rugby career
Bowen joined Llanelli at the age of 15 and quickly became a club favourite. He was first selected to represent Wales as part of the 1883 Home Nations Championship1883 Home Nations Championship
The 1883 Home Nations Championship was the inaugural series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 16 December 1882 and 3 March 1883...
against England in the inaugural game of the new competition. Under the captaincy of Charles Lewis
Charles Lewis (rugby player)
Charles Prytherch Lewis was a Welsh international rugby union player, who won five caps between 1882 and 1884.-Life:...
, Bowen was one of three Llanelli players chosen for the game, and along with team-mates Alfred Cattell
Alfred Cattell
Alfred Cattell was an English-born international rugby union player for Wales who in his later life became Lord Mayor of Sheffield...
and Thomas Judson
Thomas Judson
Thomas Haigh Judson was an English-born international rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales...
became the first player to represent Llanelli at international level. The game was a one sided affair, with England victorious, though the Welsh play was of a higher standard than the first encounter between the teams. The next game of the tournament was an away match to Scotland, and Wales experimented with one full-back player for the first time. Bowen was one of the full-backs, paired for the England game with captain Lewis, the selectors favoured Lewis, and Bowen was dropped.
In 1884 Bowen was part of the Llanelli squad which reached the final of the 1884 South Wales Challenge Cup, facing Newport. Played at Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
, Llanelli beat Newport by one try to nil. In 1886 the same two teams met each other again in the final of the same competition, this time Bowen was captain of Llanelli. When Llanelli were again victorious, their return to the town was celebrated by the locals who greeted them with thousands of rockets and coloured lights. 'Touchstone', the Western Mail's sporting correspondent suggested that Bowen should be "memorialized in a tinplate statue".
1884 also saw Bowen move North for a short period, when he signed for Dewsbury; but after playing "only a handful of games", he returned to play in Wales.
In 1886 Bowen found himself back in the Welsh squad after Newport's Arthur 'Monkey' Gould, who had taken Charles Lewis' position, switched from full-back into the three-quarters. This gave Bowen three more caps, both games in the 1886 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...
and the opener in 1887
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....
. After losing to England in the first game of the 1886 tournament, Wales and 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...
captain Frank Hancock
Frank 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...
famously decided to trial the four three-quarter system. Although Wales were strong in their fast moving back-play, the power of the Scottish pack, now with a man advantage, began to dominate the forward play. The Welsh forwards appeared loathe to give the backs the ball, so during the game the four three-quarter tactic was abandoned and it was decided that Bowen would move into the pack to provide reinforcement, while Gould dropped to full-back. This was seen by some supporters as a 'political' move by the Cardiff captain, sacrificing a Llanelli player to allow Gould the full-back position. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
wrote, "to please Cardiff, four three quarters were played with disastrous results. When room had to be made for a Cardiff man, a Llanellyite, of course, had to make way for him." Bowen would play one more game for Wales, a nil-nil draw with England at Stradey Park
Stradey Park
Stradey Park was a rugby union stadium located near the centre of the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was the home of the Scarlets region and Llanelli RFC rugby teams. The stadium was a combination of seating and standing with a total capacity of 10,800...
in 1887, and was replaced by Hugh Hughes
Hugh Hughes (rugby player)
Hugh 'Sawdust' Hughes was an international rugby union player who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. Although very little personal information is available for Hughes, he is notable for facing the touring New Zealand Māoris, the first touring Southern Hempishere rugby...
in the next game of the tournament; but Wales had difficulty finding a long-term full-back until the appearance of Billy Bancroft
Billy Bancroft
Billy Bancroft was a Welsh international fullback who played club rugby for Swansea and a county cricketer for Glamorgan, becoming their first professional player in 1895....
during the 1889/90 season.
In 1888, with his international rugby career behind him, Bowen played in his most notable game when he was part of the Llanelli team that face the touring New Zealand Natives
1888-1889 New Zealand Native football team
The 1888–1889 New Zealand Native football team was a New Zealand football team that toured Britain, Australia and New Zealand in 1888 and 1889. The team was composed mainly of players of Māori ancestry, although several Pakeha were included in the squad. The tour was a private endeavour, and was...
. Bowen not only scored a spectacular dropped goal from near the halfway line, which brought Llanelli the victory; but also charged down an on target kick at goal form the Māori that would have levelled the game. Although Bowen played a vital role in the game, he was not chosen for the Welsh team that faced the Māori three days later at Swansea.
After retiring from playing rugby, Bowen retained his links with 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...
by becoming a Welsh selector and later, a rugby referee. He refereed just one international, the 1905 Home Nations Championship
1905 Home Nations Championship
The 1905 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-third series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 14 January and 18 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
encounter between England and Scotland.