George "Twyber" Travers (9 June 1877 – 26 December 1945) 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 hooker who played club rugby for Pill HarriersSmith (1980), pg 136 and Newport Rugby Football Club. He won 25 caps for

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 ...

between 1903 and 1911. Travers is seen as one of the rugby union's first specialist hookers.Parry-Jones (1999), pg 102. Specialism in a forward position was unusual during the early history of rugby mainly due to the scrummaging rule, but Travers's ability shone through and as part of a seven-man pack was important in the Welsh wins against England in 1903 and in the famous '' Match of the Century'' victory against the All Blacks in 1905. Travers originally played club rugby for the

Newport Docks Newport Docks is the collective name for a group of docks in the city of Newport, south-east Wales. By the eighteenth century there were a number of wharves on the west shore of the River Usk; iron and coal were the principal outward traffic. Th ...

-based side Pill Harriers, though he would later spend two seasons with Newport in 1901/02 and 1910/11.

International career

Travers was first capped, at centre, making his debut against

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in January, 1903 while playing for Pill Harriers. Although it was unusual at the time for unfashionable "second-class" clubs to supply international players, it was not unprecedented, with valley teams such as

Treorchy Treorchy ( cy, Treorci; ) is a town and community (and electoral ward) in Wales. Once a mining town, it retains such characteristics. Situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in the Rhondda Fawr valley. Treorchy is also one of the 16 c ...

and

Treherbert Treherbert () is a village and community situated at the head of the Rhondda Fawr valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Historically part of Glamorgan, Treherbert is a former industrial coal mining village which was at its eco ...

supplying several forwards. He would play for Wales a further 24 times including games against the original

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

team, South Africa and Australia. In 1908 Travers was awarded the Welsh captaincy against Scotland at

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 ...

a game Wales would win 6-5, though this was the only time he would hold this honour. His only international points were against the Australian Wallabies, a game Wales won 9-6, though it has been later recognised by both sides that Travers dropped the ball before going over the line and the try should not have counted.

International matches played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 472. * 1908 * 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909 * 1908, 1911 * 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911 * 1905 * 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911 * 1906

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Travers, George 1877 births 1945 deaths Mountain Ash RFC players Newport RFC players Rugby union players from Newport, Wales Pill Harriers RFC players Monmouthshire County RFC players Rugby union hookers Wales international rugby union players Wales rugby union captains Welsh rugby union players