Russell Taylor (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Albert Russell Taylor was a international rugby union
player. He was selected for the 1938 British Lions tour to South Africa
. Taylor played club rugby for Cross Keys RFC
and Abergavenny RFC
. Described by rugby historian John Griffiths as an 'intelligent, fast loose forward', Taylor is the only player to have represented the British and Irish Lions
while representing Cross Keys.
. The 1937 tournament was a low point for the Wales team, losing all three games; but despite being part of the losing side against Ireland, he was returned for the same encounter in the 1938 campaign
, this time a win over the Irish. In the 1938 game against Ireland, Taylor scored his first international points with a try
.
In 1938, Taylor was selected for the British Isles
team to tour South Africa. Taylor played in 16 matches of the tour, including two Tests against the South Africa national rugby union team
. Despite the British team losing the tour 2-1 to the South Africans, Taylor had a good tour, and ended the trip with the highest points across all the matches, scoring 53 points. This was mainly due to Taylor being given the kicking duties after first choice kicker, Vivian Jenkins
, was forced to withdraw halfway through the tour. Three of his 53 points came from one of the South Africa matches, when he scored a penalty goal in the Second Test.
On his return from South Africa, Taylor was selected for one final match for Wales, the opening game against England as part of the 1939 Home Nations Championship
. The game ended in a two-nil loss for the Welsh. The next season, while still representing Cross Keys at club level, Taylor was approached to play for invitational touring team, the Barbarians
. In his career he also played county rugby for Monmouthshire
. Taylor later switched clubs, joing Abergavenny, and after his playing career ended, served on the Abergavenny committee and was also its vice-president. After World War II, he switched clubs again, joining Newport, and played 46 games for the senior team over two seasons.
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. He was selected for the 1938 British Lions tour to South Africa
1938 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1938 British Isles tour to South Africa was the fourteenth tour by a British Isles team and the sixth to South Africa. The tour is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950....
. Taylor played club rugby for Cross Keys RFC
Cross 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 :...
and Abergavenny RFC
Abergavenny RFC
Abergavenny Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club team based in Abergavenny. Today, Abergavenny RFC plays in the Welsh Rugby Union Division Three East league and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons....
. Described by rugby historian John Griffiths as an 'intelligent, fast loose forward', Taylor is the only player to have represented the British and Irish 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...
while representing Cross Keys.
Rugby career
Taylor first came to note as a rugby player when he represented his Grammer School at Pontywaun as a youth. As an adult he represented at all levels, club, county and international; and as a police officer also played for the Welsh Police Force. His forst first class team, was Cross Keys RFC, and it was with Cross Keys that he was first selected to represent Wales in the final game of the 1937 Home Nations Championship1937 Home Nations Championship
The 1937 Home Nations Championship was the thirty-third 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 fiftieth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Six matches...
. The 1937 tournament was a low point for the Wales team, losing all three games; but despite being part of the losing side against Ireland, he was returned for the same encounter in the 1938 campaign
1938 Home Nations Championship
The 1938 Home Nations Championship was the thirty-fourth 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 fifty-first series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Six...
, this time a win over the Irish. In the 1938 game against Ireland, Taylor scored his first international points with a try
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 1938, Taylor was selected for the British Isles
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
team to tour South Africa. Taylor played in 16 matches of the tour, including two Tests against the South Africa national rugby union 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...
. Despite the British team losing the tour 2-1 to the South Africans, Taylor had a good tour, and ended the trip with the highest points across all the matches, scoring 53 points. This was mainly due to Taylor being given the kicking duties after first choice kicker, Vivian Jenkins
Vivian Jenkins
Vivian Gordon James Jenkins was a Welsh rugby union player who, having taught Classics and Games at Dover College, went on to have a successful career as a sports journalist. He won 14 caps for Wales and 1 cap for the British and Irish Lions. He also played first-class cricket with...
, was forced to withdraw halfway through the tour. Three of his 53 points came from one of the South Africa matches, when he scored a penalty goal in the Second Test.
On his return from South Africa, Taylor was selected for one final match for Wales, the opening game against England as part of the 1939 Home Nations Championship
1939 Home Nations Championship
The 1939 Home Nations Championship was the thirty-fifth 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 fifty-second series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Six...
. The game ended in a two-nil loss for the Welsh. The next season, while still representing Cross Keys at club level, Taylor was approached to play for invitational touring team, the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
. In his career he also played county rugby for Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire County RFC
Monmouthshire County RFC is a Welsh rugby union club that manages an invitational team, known as Monmouthshire that originally played rugby at county level...
. Taylor later switched clubs, joing Abergavenny, and after his playing career ended, served on the Abergavenny committee and was also its vice-president. After World War II, he switched clubs again, joining Newport, and played 46 games for the senior team over two seasons.