Jack Whitfield (23 March 1892 – 26 December 1927) 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 ...

hooker who played club rugby for

Newport Newport most commonly refers to: *Newport, Wales *Newport, Rhode Island, US Newport or New Port may also refer to: Places Asia *Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay Europe Ireland *Newport, County Mayo, a town on the ...

and club rugby for

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...

. He was an extremely powerful scrummager, but was not seen as skillful as the pre-war players produced by Wales.Smith (1980), pg 211.

Rugby career

As a fitter in the Newport Docks, local dock team Pill Harriers was a natural choice to take on the front row skills of Whitfield. The Harriers, although seen as a lower league team, provided many Welsh players, especially front row hardmen like Whitfield. In 1919 he was selected for the

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 ...

to face the touring New Zealand Services team. Over the next five years, now as a member of the Newport club, Whitfield was capped for Wales on 12 occasions and scored his first try on the 13 March 1920 against Ireland. In 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 ...

, Whitfield was the leading

try Try or TRY may refer to: Music Albums * ''Try!'', an album by the John Mayer Trio * ''Try'' (Bebo Norman album) (2014) Songs * "Try" (Blue Rodeo song) (1987) * "Try" (Colbie Caillat song) (2014) * "Try" (Nelly Furtado song) (2004) * " Try (Ju ...

scorer of the tournament with four tries one against England and France, and two against Ireland. In the 1924 Championship, in a game against Scotland, Whitfield was given the captaincy for Wales. Wales lost the match heavily, with Scotland running in eight tries, it was Whitfield's only time as captain. He died on Boxing Day 1927 at the

Royal Gwent Hospital The Royal Gwent Hospital ( cy, Ysbyty Brenhinol Gwent) is a local general hospital in the city of Newport, Wales, Newport. It is managed by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Since 2020, the hospital no longer has a full Emergency Departme ...

after a

gastric ulcer Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a break in the inner lining of the stomach, the first part of the small intestine, or sometimes the lower esophagus. An ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer, while one in the first part of the intestines i ...

operation. ''International matches played'' ''Wales''Smith (1980), pg 473. * 1920, 1921, 1922 * 1920, 1922 * 1920, 1922, 1924 * New Zealand Services 1919 * 1920, 1922, 1924

Bibliography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitfield, Jack 1892 births 1927 deaths Welsh rugby union players Wales international rugby union players Rugby union hookers Wales rugby union captains Rugby union players from Newport, Wales Newport RFC players Monmouthshire County RFC players Pill Harriers RFC players