William Clifford Richards (28 March 1901 – 13 February 1964) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

international

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

wing who played club rugby for

Pontypool Pontypool ( cy, Pont-y-pŵl ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales. It has a population of 28,970. Location It is situated on the Afon Lwyd ri ...

and

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

and represented

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

at international level. Richards was a coal miner by trade, and worked in the pits all his adult life. In 1964, while working at the Navigation Colliery in Crumlin, he was killed in an underground accident.The Pit and the Pitch
Walesonline 09-12-2005

Rugby career

Richards was first capped for Wales while playing first class rugby for Pontypool. His first international game was against England in the opening Welsh match of the

1922 Five Nations Championship The 1922 Five Nations Championship was the eighth 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-fif ...

. Under the captaincy of Tom Parker, Wales were convincing winners over a far more experienced England, running in eight tries, of which Richards scored one. The 1922 Wales Championship team, captained by Tom Parker, was noted for its stability, with only two changes throughout the entire campaign. Richards played in all four matches, though was initially dropped for the final match of the tournament against France. The selectors had originally chosen Frank Palmer and Harold Davies, but switched to Richards and

Islwyn Evans Haydn Islwyn Evans (25 December 1898 – 13 May 1974) was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby union for Swansea and Llanelli. Evans was capped four times for Wales, all during the 1922 Five Nations Championship. Ru ...

, just minutes before kick-off, as they believed they would be better suited to the harder French sun-baked pitch.Godwin (1984), pg 138. At the end of the Championship, Wales won three games and drew the match against Scotland, lifting the tournament as out-right winners. Richards played one final game for Wales, when he faced Ireland at the

Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park ( cy, Parc yr Arfau Caerdydd), also known as The Arms Park, is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. It is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green. The Arms Park was host to the British E ...

, in the third Welsh match of the

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-seven ...

. Although Richards scored the second try of his international career, Wales still lost the game and Richards was not selected for Wales again.

International matches played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 471. * 1922 * 1922 * 1922, 1924 * 1922

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Cliff 1901 births 1964 deaths Accidental deaths in Wales Industrial accident deaths Pontypool RFC players Rugby union players from Caerphilly County Borough Rugby union wings Swansea RFC players Wales international rugby union players Welsh miners Welsh rugby union players