Ossie Male (31 December 1893 – 23 February 1975)
Scrum.com 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 full back who played club rugby for

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

and was capped 11 times 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 ...

and captained his country on three occasions. In 1924, Male was at the centre of an embarrassing decision made by the

Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; cy, Undeb Rygbi Cymru) is the Sports governing body, governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running ...

that prevented him facing the French rugby team. Male was one of six siblings and was the youngest boy.

Rugby career

When Male was first capped for his country, he was playing for

Cross Keys Cross Keys or Crosskeys may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Crosskeys, Wales ** Crosskeys railway station ** Crosskeys College, a campus of Coleg Gwent * Crosskeys Bridge, a swing bridge in Lincolnshire, England * The Cross Keys (disambiguatio ...

. He turned out in the Welsh side that beat France 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 ...

on 26 February 1921, but the presence of Swansea's Joe Rees and Mountain Ash's Fred Samuel kept him out of the Wales team until 1923.Smith (1980), pg 214. Male was chosen for one game in the

1923 Five Nations Championship The 1923 Five Nations Championship was the ninth 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-sixth ...

while at

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 after moving to Cardiff, two games in the 1924 tournament; including the disastrous 1924 game against Scotland. Even though Male scored two conversions in the match, Wales were overrun as Scotland scored eight tries. In 1924 Male was travelling by train with the Welsh team to the final game of that year's Five Nations Championship in France. The Welsh Rugby Union selection committee, also on board, announced that they had suspended Male as he had broken WRU rules by playing Cardiff within six days of the international game so Male left the party at

Paddington Station Paddington, also known as London Paddington, is a Central London railway terminus and London Underground station complex, located on Praed Street in the Paddington area. The site has been the London terminus of services provided by the Great We ...

. The timing of the dismissal was criticised, as the players were already on the way to the game. The team was forced to play out of position, with Penarth's

Mel Rosser Melville "Mel" Aaron Rosser sometimes recorded as Melvin and Melvyn (18 April 1901 – 8 September 1988) was a Welsh international rugby centre who played rugby union for Penarth and Cardiff and later turned to professional rugby league joining ...

moved to full back and Swansea's Joe Jones to three-quarters. In 1927, Male was back in the Welsh squad after Tommy Rees of

London Welsh 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, ...

broke his leg at the end of the previous year.Smith (1980), pg 247. Male played the entire

1927 Five Nations Championship The 1927 Five Nations Championship was the thirteenth 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 fortiet ...

, captaining Wales against Scotland, and in 1928, although missing the England game, he was back for the final three games of the tournament captaining Wales in two of the games. The final game was against France, and Wales lost against the French for the first time in their history, despite France being without Andre Camel for three quarters of the game.Goodwin (1984), pg 171. Male never played for Wales again.

International matches played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 469. * 1927 * 1921, 1927, 1928 * 1924, 1927, 1928 * 1923, 1924, 1927, 1928

Family

Male was one of six siblings and was the youngest boy. He married his wife, Muriel Male at a young age. The couple had only one daughter, Muriel Patricia Male (Pat) in late October 1928. Patricia went on to become a teacher, and later married Frank Emery (1930–1987), fellow professor and author of ''The Red Soldier''. The couple had two daughters, Susan Elisabeth Emery (1961) and Caroline Mary Emery (1966).

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Male, Ossie 1893 births 1975 deaths Rugby union players from Newport, Wales Rugby union fullbacks Wales rugby union captains Welsh rugby union players Wales international rugby union players Cardiff RFC players Pontypool RFC players Cross Keys RFC players