Ossie Male
Encyclopedia
Ossie Male was a Welsh
international full back who played club rugby for Cardiff
and was capped 11 times for Wales
and captained his country on three occasions. In 1924, Male was at the centre of an embarrassing decision made by the Welsh Rugby Union
that prevented him facing the French rugby team. Male was one of six siblings and was the youngest boy.
. He turned out in the Welsh side that beat France at the Cardiff Arms Park
on 26 February 1921, but the presence of Swansea's
Joe Rees
and Mountain Ash's
Fred Samuel
kept him out of the Wales team until 1923. Male was chosen for one game in the 1923 Five Nations Championship
while at Pontypool
and after moving to Cardiff, two games in the 1924 tournament
; including the disastrous 1924 game against Scotland. Even though Male scored two conversions in the match, Wales were over-run as Scotland scored eight tries
.
In 1924 Male was en route for the final game of that years Five Nations Championship when he was involved in an embarrassing situation regarding the Welsh selection process. The Welsh team were travelling to France by train, via London, when the Welsh Rugby Union selection committee emerged from their carriage and announced that Male was to be suspended and would leave the party at Paddington
. The reason for the WRU's decision was that Male had played for Cardiff within six days of the international game, breaking WRU rules. The fact that the WRU had waited until they were travelling was heavily criticised, not only to spare Male, but because the team now had to play out of position, with Penarth's
Melville Rosser being pushed into the full back position, and Swansea's Joe Jones coming into three-quarters.
In 1927, Male was back in favour and back in the Welsh squad after Tommy Rees
of London Welsh broke his leg at the end of 1926. Male played the entire 1927 Five Nations Championship
, captaining Wales against Scotland, and in 1928, although missing the England game, he was back for the final three games of the tournament captaining Wales in two of the games. The final game was against France, and Wales lost against the French for the first time in their history. The defeat was made all the worse as French played threequarters of the game without Andre Camel. Male never played for Wales again.
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 full back who played club rugby for 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...
and was capped 11 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...
and captained his country on three occasions. In 1924, Male was at the centre of an embarrassing decision made by the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
that prevented him facing the French rugby team. Male was one of six siblings and was the youngest boy.
Rugby career
When Male was first capped for his country, he was playing for Cross KeysCross Keys RFC
Cross Keys RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh village of Crosskeys. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.- History :...
. He turned out in the Welsh side that beat France 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...
on 26 February 1921, but the presence of Swansea's
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
Joe Rees
Joe Rees
Joseph "Joe" Rees was a Welsh international rugby union full-back who played club rugby for Swansea. Rees made his debut for Swansea in 1919 and captained his club in the 1922/23 season. Rees would play 12 times for Wales, and captained them on one occasion...
and Mountain Ash's
Mountain Ash RFC
Mountain Ash RFC is a Welsh rugby union team from the town of Mountain Ash, in the Cynon Valley, South Wales. Mountain Ash RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues.-Early history:...
Fred Samuel
Fred Samuel
Thomas Frederick "Fred" Samuel was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s who at representative level played rugby union for Wales, and at club level for Mountain Ash RFC, playing at Fullback, i.e...
kept him out of the Wales team until 1923. Male was chosen for one game in the 1923 Five Nations Championship
1923 Five Nations Championship
The 1923 Five Nations Championship was the ninth 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-sixth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
while at 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 after moving to Cardiff, two games in the 1924 tournament
1924 Five Nations Championship
The 1924 Five Nations Championship was the tenth 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-seventh series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
; including the disastrous 1924 game against Scotland. Even though Male scored two conversions in the match, Wales were over-run as Scotland scored eight 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...
.
In 1924 Male was en route for the final game of that years Five Nations Championship when he was involved in an embarrassing situation regarding the Welsh selection process. The Welsh team were travelling to France by train, via London, when the Welsh Rugby Union selection committee emerged from their carriage and announced that Male was to be suspended and would leave the party at Paddington
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
. The reason for the WRU's decision was that Male had played for Cardiff within six days of the international game, breaking WRU rules. The fact that the WRU had waited until they were travelling was heavily criticised, not only to spare Male, but because the team now had to play out of position, with Penarth's
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:...
Melville Rosser being pushed into the full back position, and Swansea's Joe Jones coming into three-quarters.
In 1927, Male was back in favour and back in the Welsh squad after Tommy Rees
Tommy Rees
Thomas 'Tommy' Edgar Rees was a Welsh international rugby fullback who played rugby union at club level for London Welsh...
of London Welsh broke his leg at the end of 1926. Male played the entire 1927 Five Nations Championship
1927 Five Nations Championship
The 1927 Five Nations Championship was the thirteenth 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 fortieth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
, captaining Wales against Scotland, and in 1928, although missing the England game, he was back for the final three games of the tournament captaining Wales in two of the games. The final game was against France, and Wales lost against the French for the first time in their history. The defeat was made all the worse as French played threequarters of the game without Andre Camel. Male never played for Wales again.