Jake Blackmore
Encyclopedia
Joseph Henry "Jake" Blackmore (unknown - 26 March 1964) was an international rugby
forward who played rugby union
for Abertillery
and rugby league
with Hull Kingston Rovers
. He won a single caps for Wales
under the rugby union code and then represented his country at rugby league in two matches between 1910 and 1911. Despite winning only one cap, he became a Triple Crown winning player when he played in the opening game of the 1909 Home Nations Championship.
and then Blaina
, before returning to Abertillery. In 1906 Blackmore was chosen to represent Monmouthshire county, and was part of the team that faced the South African national team
on their first overseas tour. In 1907, Blackmore faced his second national team, this time the first touring Australian team
, but on this occasion with his club side Abertillery. This was the first national team to visit Abertillery Park, and Blackmore was part of the team to force the Australians to a 3-3 draw.
In 1909 Blackmore won his first full test cap when he was selected for the Wales team to face England
in the opening game of the 1909 Home Nations Championship
. Played at the Cardiff Arms Park
, Blackmore was the only new cap into the team, and joined Abertillery team-mate, Jim Webb
in the pack. The game ended in a Welsh victory, and although Blackmore played no further part in the campaign, he became a Triple Crown
winning player after Wales won the remaining two games of the competition.
In 1910, Blackmore decided to turn professional, and left Abertillery to join English rugby league team, Hull Kingston Rovers. He played his first game for Hull on 3 September 1910, facing Dewsbury
. Three months later, on 10 December , Blackmore was selected for the Wales rugby league team, in a game against England
at Coventry. Wales lost 13-39. Blackmore was reselected for Wales in the next league international, which Wales again lost to England, but this time on Welsh soil at Ebbw Vale
.
Wales (rugby league) 1910, 1911
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
forward who played 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...
for Abertillery
Abertillery RFC
Abertillery Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Abertillery. According to their web site, they were founded in 1883, though other sources state 1884. Their team colours are green and white and their home ground is Abertillery Park in Abertillery. The club is a member of the...
and 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...
with Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
. He won a single 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...
under the rugby union code and then represented his country at rugby league in two matches between 1910 and 1911. Despite winning only one cap, he became a Triple Crown winning player when he played in the opening game of the 1909 Home Nations Championship.
Rugby career
Blackmore first came to note as a rugby player when he joined Abertillery in 1902. Blackmore stayed with Abertillery for the majority of his amateur career, spending just two seasons outside the team when he left after a disagreement with the club. During these two seasons he represented first TredegarTredegar RFC
Tredegar Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Tredegar. The club was founded in 1893 but at that time played under the name Tredegar Harriers. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons....
and then Blaina
Blaina RFC
Blaina Rugby Football Club are a Welsh rugby union club based in Blaina in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in Wales. They presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union Division Three East league and are a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.- History :...
, before returning to Abertillery. In 1906 Blackmore was chosen to represent Monmouthshire county, and was part of the team that faced the South African national team
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
on their first overseas tour. In 1907, Blackmore faced his second national team, this time the first touring Australian team
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
, but on this occasion with his club side Abertillery. This was the first national team to visit Abertillery Park, and Blackmore was part of the team to force the Australians to a 3-3 draw.
In 1909 Blackmore won his first full test cap when he was selected for the Wales team to face 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 the opening game of the 1909 Home Nations Championship
1909 Home Nations Championship
The 1909 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-seventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 16 January and 20 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
. 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...
, Blackmore was the only new cap into the team, and joined Abertillery team-mate, Jim Webb
Jim Webb (rugby player)
Alfred "Jim" Webb was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Abertillery and county rugby for Monmouthshire...
in the pack. The game ended in a Welsh victory, and although Blackmore played no further part in the campaign, he became a 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...
winning player after Wales won the remaining two games of the competition.
In 1910, Blackmore decided to turn professional, and left Abertillery to join English rugby league team, Hull Kingston Rovers. He played his first game for Hull on 3 September 1910, facing Dewsbury
Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...
. Three months later, on 10 December , Blackmore was selected for the Wales rugby league team, in a game against England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
at Coventry. Wales lost 13-39. Blackmore was reselected for Wales in the next league international, which Wales again lost to England, but this time on Welsh soil at Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River, south Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough...
.
International matches played
Wales (rugby union) 1909Wales (rugby league) 1910, 1911