Watty Friend
Encyclopedia
Walter Smale "Watty" Friend (19 September 1898 – c. 1983) was a Australian rugby union
player, a state
and national representative lock forward in the 1920s. Ten of his New South Wales state
appearances have since been decreed as Test matches
by the Australian Rugby Union
and Friend, who led the side in three such matches in 1923, was therefore a captain of the Australian national team.
side and when he impressed in that performance he was selected in a Sydney Metropolitan side and the state representative side
to play those same tourists. With no Queensland Rugby Union
administration or competition in place from 1919 to 1929, the New South Wales Waratahs
were the top Australia
n representative rugby union
side of the period and a number of their 1920s fixtures played against full international opposition were decreed in 1986 as official Test matches.
In 1921 he figured in three matches for New South Wales against the visiting Springboks
. Howell notes that Friends was one of the Waratahs' top players.. In 1922 he appeared in all three matches again when the All Blacks
visited Sydney, with second and third matches wins resulting in a rare series victory of those days to the Waratahs over the All Blacks. In 1923 New Zealand Māori rugby union team
visited and Friend was honoured with the captaincy of New South Wales in a three match series in which the Waratahs were undefeated.
Friend, claimed a total of ten international rugby caps for Australia all of them played at home in Sydney. His record as national captain is unblemished with three appearances and three wins.
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, a state
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
and national representative lock forward in the 1920s. Ten of his New South Wales state
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
appearances have since been decreed as Test matches
Test match (rugby union)
Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport....
by the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
and Friend, who led the side in three such matches in 1923, was therefore a captain of the Australian national team.
Rugby career
Following his time at The King's School in Sydney, Friend starting his club rugby at the Glebe-Balmain club alongside his older brother R.M Friend. He was selected in a New South Wales 2nd XV who met a visiting New Zealand All BlacksAll Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
side and when he impressed in that performance he was selected in a Sydney Metropolitan side and the state representative side
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
to play those same tourists. With no Queensland Rugby Union
Queensland Rugby Union
The Queensland Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Queensland. It is a member and founding union of the Australian Rugby Union.-See also:*Queensland Reds*Australian Rugby Union*The Wallabies*Rugby union in Queensland...
administration or competition in place from 1919 to 1929, the New South Wales Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
were the top Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n representative 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...
side of the period and a number of their 1920s fixtures played against full international opposition were decreed in 1986 as official Test matches.
In 1921 he figured in three matches for New South Wales against the visiting Springboks
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...
. Howell notes that Friends was one of the Waratahs' top players.. In 1922 he appeared in all three matches again when the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
visited Sydney, with second and third matches wins resulting in a rare series victory of those days to the Waratahs over the All Blacks. In 1923 New Zealand Māori rugby union team
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
visited and Friend was honoured with the captaincy of New South Wales in a three match series in which the Waratahs were undefeated.
Friend, claimed a total of ten international rugby caps for Australia all of them played at home in Sydney. His record as national captain is unblemished with three appearances and three wins.