Elwyn Gwyther

Elwyn Gwyther (8 March 1921 - 21 March 1996^[3]) was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Wales XV, and at club level for Llanelli RFC, as a prop,^[1] and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Belle Vue Rangers and Leeds, as a prop.^[2][4]

Elwyn Gwyther

Personal information
Full name	Elwyn Gwyther
Born	(1921-03-08)8 March 1921 Gower Peninsula district, Wales, United Kingdom
Died	21 March 1996(1996-03-21) (aged 75)
Playing information
Rugby union
Position	Prop
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 19??–46 Llanelli RFC Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1945–46 Wales XV
Rugby league
Position	Prop
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1947–52 Belle Vue Rangers 1952–54 Leeds 1954–55 Belle Vue Rangers Total 0 0 0 0 0 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1947–53 Wales 16 2 0 0 6 1947–51 Great Britain 6 1 0 0 3
Source: [1][2]

Background

Elwyn Gwyther's birth was registered in Gower Peninsula district, Wales.

Playing career

Club career

Gwyther played prop in Belle Vue Rangers' 7–10 defeat by Wigan in the 1947 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1947–48 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 1 November 1947.^[5]

Gwyther was signed by Leeds in October 1952.^[6] In September 1954, he returned to Belle Vue Rangers.^[7]

International honours

Elwyn Gwyther represented Wales XV (RU) while at Llanelli RFC in the 'Victory International' non-Test match(es) between December 1945 and April 1946, and won caps for Wales (RL) while at Belle Vue Rangers, and Leeds 1947–1953 15-caps, and won caps for Great Britain (RL) while at Belle Vue Rangers in 1947 against New Zealand (2 matches), in 1950 against Australia (3 matches); and in 1951 against New Zealand.^[2]

Six rugby league footballers represented Wales XV (RU) while at rugby league clubs, they were; Tyssul Griffiths, Elwyn Gwyther, Gomer Hughes, Hugh Lloyd-Davies, Harold Thomas and Leslie Thomas.

Gomer Hughes, and Harold Thomas had previously won Wales (RU) caps, but the other footballers hadn't, and having already changed to the rugby league code they were unable to do so, but Tyssul Griffiths, Elwyn Gwyther, Leslie Thomas, did go on to win Wales (RL) caps.

References

1. "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". espn.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
3. "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
4. Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
5. "1947–1948 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
6. "Big Deals in Soccer-Rugby". The Yorkshire Observer. 8 October 1952. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
7. "Morgan, Gwyther sign for Belle Vue". Manchester Evening News. 8 September 1954. p. 10 – via British Newspaper Archive.

External links

• Elwyn Gwyther montage on YouTube
• (archived by web.archive.org) Britain hold out Kiwis at Odsal
• Men of League - Robert L. Seddon
• Welsh stars still had a rugby ball in wartime
• Picture Elwyn Gwyther
• Elwyn Gwyther