Jack Bassett
Encyclopedia
Jack Bassett was a Welsh
international rugby union
full back who played club rugby for Penarth
. He won 15 caps for Wales
and was selected for the 1930 British Lions
tour of Australia and New Zealand
. He captained the Welsh team on nine occasions.
Bassett was not the fastest full back, but had a great positional sense on the field which ensured he was always close to the action. He was seen as one of the most devastating tacklers in the game, and many opposing backs would throw the ball into touch rather than allow Bassett to hit them in full flow.
and Pyle
before playing a handful of games with Aberavon
. He joined the Glamorgan Constabulary in 1924 and found himself stationed in Penarth
. From his new town, Bassett played for both the Police XV and Penarth. Although playing for an "unfavourable" club, the Wales full back position became free during the 1928/29 season and the selectors decided to choose the player from the Newport vs Penarth game. Although Newport won the game, Bassett had the better game over Newport's Bill Everson
, and was chosen to represent his country.
. Although Wales lost the match Bassett retained his place and played in the remaining three games of the Championship
. Bassett played all four games in the 1930 Five Nations Championship
, and in the third game against Ireland, Bassett was given the captaincy of Wales for the first time, and also gained his first international points with a drop goal. Bassett had one of his best games against Ireland, with superb defensive play and decisive tackling, saving three tries
during the game. The final game of the tournament was a vicious affair against a pugilistic French team, but Bassett missed the match as he had been chosen to tour with the British Lions and was already on his way to Australia.
Bassett had an exceptional tour with the Lions and was acclaimed as the greatest full back in World rugby, even outplaying New Zealand legend George Nepia
. Bassett played well for the Lions, earning five caps with clean work in the open, tidying up the British defence to allow good attacking play.
In 1931, Bassett led the Welsh team to their first Championship since 1922, beating France, Ireland and Scotland, and drawing with England at Twickenham. Bassett was also chosen to captain Wales against the 1931 touring South Africans
, but when Wales lost he was blamed for not controlling the play from behind the scrummage which saw risky passing and absurd decisions, in a windy and wet match, that the South Africans exploited.
Despite the criticism leveled against him after the South African game, Bassett was selected continue in his captaincy of Wales in the 1932 Championship. Wales beat both England and Scotland, but in the game against Ireland, Bassett had a terrible match which ended his international career. With home advantage and the Triple Crown
in sight, Wales were expected to beat the Irish team. Bassett though dropped the ball on his own 25, which Ireland's Edward Lightfoot to score a try. Later in the game Shaun Waide picked up a lucky bounce from an offside position, running 80 yards to score, easily beating Bassett in the process. When Dicky Ralph
scored for Wales at the end of the game, Bassett missed the resulting conversion, and ultimately the Triple Crown.
British Lions 1930 1930, 1930, 1930, 1930
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...
full back who played club rugby for Penarth
Penarth RFC
Penarth Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based since 1924 at The Athletic Field, Lavernock Road, in Penarth, in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales.-Origins and early history:...
. He won 15 caps 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...
and was selected for the 1930 British 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 of Australia and New Zealand
1930 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia
The 1930 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia was the twelfth tour by a British Isles team and the fifth to New Zealand and Australia...
. He captained the Welsh team on nine occasions.
Bassett was not the fastest full back, but had a great positional sense on the field which ensured he was always close to the action. He was seen as one of the most devastating tacklers in the game, and many opposing backs would throw the ball into touch rather than allow Bassett to hit them in full flow.
Club career
Bassett began playing rugby with Kenfig HillKenfig Hill RFC
Kenfig Hill Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the village of Kenfig Hill, South Wales. Kenfig Hill RFC presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union Division Three South West League. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Ospreys...
and Pyle
Pyle RFC
Pyle Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Pyle, Wales, UK. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Ospreys....
before playing a handful of games with 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...
. He joined the Glamorgan Constabulary in 1924 and found himself stationed in Penarth
Penarth
Penarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
. From his new town, Bassett played for both the Police XV and Penarth. Although playing for an "unfavourable" club, the Wales full back position became free during the 1928/29 season and the selectors decided to choose the player from the Newport vs Penarth game. Although Newport won the game, Bassett had the better game over Newport's Bill Everson
Bill Everson
William Aaron "Bill" Everson was a Welsh international rugby union fullback who played club rugby for Newport and was capped for Wales in 1926...
, and was chosen to represent his country.
International career
Bassett was first capped for Wales against England on January 19, 1929 at TwickenhamTwickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
. Although Wales lost the match Bassett retained his place and played in the remaining three games of the Championship
1929 Five Nations Championship
The 1929 Five Nations Championship was the fifteenth 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 forty-second series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. Bassett played all four games in the 1930 Five Nations Championship
1930 Five Nations Championship
The 1930 Five Nations Championship was the sixteenth 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 forty-third series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
, and in the third game against Ireland, Bassett was given the captaincy of Wales for the first time, and also gained his first international points with a drop goal. Bassett had one of his best games against Ireland, with superb defensive play and decisive tackling, saving three tries
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...
during the game. The final game of the tournament was a vicious affair against a pugilistic French team, but Bassett missed the match as he had been chosen to tour with the British Lions and was already on his way to Australia.
Bassett had an exceptional tour with the Lions and was acclaimed as the greatest full back in World rugby, even outplaying New Zealand legend George Nepia
George Nepia
George Nepia was a Māori rugby union and rugby league player. He is remembered as an exceptional full-back and one of the most famous Māori rugby players. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2004 he was selected as number 65 by the panel of the New Zealand's Top...
. Bassett played well for the Lions, earning five caps with clean work in the open, tidying up the British defence to allow good attacking play.
In 1931, Bassett led the Welsh team to their first Championship since 1922, beating France, Ireland and Scotland, and drawing with England at Twickenham. Bassett was also chosen to captain Wales against the 1931 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...
, but when Wales lost he was blamed for not controlling the play from behind the scrummage which saw risky passing and absurd decisions, in a windy and wet match, that the South Africans exploited.
Despite the criticism leveled against him after the South African game, Bassett was selected continue in his captaincy of Wales in the 1932 Championship. Wales beat both England and Scotland, but in the game against Ireland, Bassett had a terrible match which ended his international career. With home advantage and the 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...
in sight, Wales were expected to beat the Irish team. Bassett though dropped the ball on his own 25, which Ireland's Edward Lightfoot to score a try. Later in the game Shaun Waide picked up a lucky bounce from an offside position, running 80 yards to score, easily beating Bassett in the process. When Dicky Ralph
Dicky Ralph
Dicky Ralph was a Welsh international rugby fly-half who played rugby union for Newport and rugby league with Leeds. He won six caps for Wales at rugby union and also represented his country at rugby league....
scored for Wales at the end of the game, Bassett missed the resulting conversion, and ultimately the Triple Crown.
International matches played
Wales 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932 1929, 1931 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932 1931British Lions 1930 1930, 1930, 1930, 1930