Garfield Owen

Garfield David Owen (20 Mar 1932 – 17 Jan 2019^[4]) was a Welsh teacher,^[5] and dual-code international rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He first played amateur rugby for Llanharan RFC, Maesteg RFC, Wrexham RFC and Newport RFC at club level before winning six caps for Wales. He also played rugby union for the invitational club; Barbarian F.C.^[1][2] He later switched to the professional code in 1956 joining Halifax where at international level he also played for the Rugby League XIII, and the Wales rugby league team at his favoured position of fullback.^[3][6]

Garfield Owen

Personal information
Full name	Garfield David Owen
Born	(1932-03-20)20 March 1932 Llanharan, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
Died	17 January 2019(2019-01-17) (aged 86)
Playing information
Rugby union
Position	Fullback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P Llanharan RFC Maesteg RFC Wrexham RFC 1954–56 Newport RFC Total 0 0 0 0 0 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1955–56 Barbarians 1955–56 Wales 6 26
Rugby league
Position	Fullback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1956–61 Halifax 166 1082 1961–65 Keighley 127 705 Total 293 0 0 0 1787 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1958 Rugby League XIII 1 10 1959 Wales 1 0 1 0 2
Source: [1][2][3]

International honours

Garfield Owen represented Rugby League XIII while at Halifax in 1958, and represented Wales while at Halifax in 1959.^[3]

Honoured at Halifax

Garfield Owen is a Halifax Hall Of Fame Inductee.^[7]

Career records

Garfield Owen is one of fewer than twenty-five Welshmen to have scored more than 1000 points in their rugby league career.^[8]

Personal life

Garfield Owen married Marlene (née Sternson)^[9] in 1957 in Surrey.^[10] They had two children; Russell H. Owen^[11] and Sally L. Owen.^[12]

His death was announced on 17 January 2019, he was 86-years-old.^[13][14]

References

1. "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". espn.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. "Statistics at wru.co.uk (RU)". wru.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
3. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
4. Garfield Owen
5. "Dave Fleming's Blast From The Past". halifaxrlfc.co.uk. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
6. Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
7. "Halifax Hall of Fame". halifaxrlfc.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
8. Robert Gate (1988). "Gone North - Volume 2". R. E. Gate. ISBN 0-9511190-3-6
9. birth registered during fourth ¼ 1933 in Pancras district)
10. "Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
11. birth registered during first ¼ 1959 (age 64–65) in Halifax district)
12. birth registered during third ¼ 1961 (age 62–63) in Halifax district)
13. "Halifax and Welsh rugby great Garfield Owen dies aged 86". Halifax Courier. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
14. "OBITUARY: Dual-code star Garfield Owen dies". Welsh Rugby Union. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.

External links

• (archived by web.archive.org) Profile at blackandambers.co.uk
• The Welshman who kicked an amazing 535 goals for Halifax Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine