David Gwyn Francis (2 February 1896 – 7 May 1987) 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 ...

player, who played for the Welsh national side twice (in 1919 and 1924).

Life

Francis was educated at

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship St ...

, where he was part of the college rugby team that won the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

inter-collegiate cup in 1920. Francis also played for the University rugby team, winning his "Blue" in 1919. He won his first cap for Wales in 1919, playing at

lock Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

in a friendly against a New Zealand Services XV. In 1921 he took charge of Rugby at

Reading School Reading School is a grammar school for boys with academy status in the English town of Reading, the county of Berkshire. It traces its history back to the school of Reading Abbey and is, thus, one of the oldest schools in England. There are no ...

, and in 1924 captained

London Welsh RFC London Welsh Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Cymry Llundain) was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, ...

and Surrey RFC. He won his second cap in 1924, playing against Scotland in the Home Nations Championship. He was a rugby referee for 28 years, and helped to found the Berkshire Rugby Football Union, serving as chairman for 24 years. A club room at

Redingensians R.F.C. Rams RFC is an English rugby union club based near the village of Sonning on the outskirts of Reading in the county of Berkshire. The first XV play in the third level league of the English rugby union system, National League 1, following their p ...

(a club that was formed for former pupils of Reading School) is named after Francis, as is a prize awarded by Berkshire rugby referees for club hospitality.

References

1896 births 1987 deaths Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Gorseinon RFC players Leicester Tigers players Llanelli RFC players London Welsh RFC players Oxford University RFC players People educated at Gowerton Grammar School Rugby union locks Rugby union players from Gorseinon Wales international rugby union players Welsh rugby union players {{Wales-rugbyunion-bio-stub