Wattie Davies

Wharton "Wattie" Peers Davies (10 November 1873 – 5 June 1961[3]) was a Welsh rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1890s, 1900s and 1910s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Cardiff and District XV, and at club level for (the now defunct) Cardiff Northern RFC and Cardiff RFC, as a fullback, i.e. number 15, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Yorkshire, and at club level for Batley, as a three-quarter, i.e. wing, or centre.[2] Davies still holds Batley's career appearance, goal, and point records,[4] and is one of less than twenty-five Welshmen to have scored more than 1,000 points in their rugby league careers.[5]

Wharton Peers Davies

Personal information
Full name	Wharton Peers Davies
Born	10 November 1873[1] Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Died	5 June 1961 (aged 87) Spen Valley district, England
Playing information
Height	5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Weight	11 st 6 lb (73 kg; 160 lb)
Rugby union
Position	Fullback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P ≤1893–≥93 Cardiff Northern RFC 1893–96 Cardiff RFC 17 Total 17 0 0 0 0 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P ≤1893–≥93 Cardiff and District XV
Rugby league
Position	Wing, Centre
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1896–12 Batley 448 122 456 2 1288 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P ≤1897–≥03 Yorkshire ≥5
Source: [2]

Wattie Davies made his début for Batley against Huddersfield at Mount Pleasant, Batley on Saturday 10 October 1896.

Davies played right wing, i.e. number 2, and unusually missed two conversions in Batley's 10-3 victory over St. Helens in the final of the 1897 Challenge Cup at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 24 April 1897, in front of a crowd of 13,492, played right wing, and scored a drop goal in Batley's 7-0 victory over Bradford F.C. in the final of the 1898 Challenge Cup at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 23 April 1898, in front of a crowd of 27,941, played right wing, and scored a try in the 6-0 victory over Warrington in the final of the 1901 Challenge Cup at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds, in front of a crowd of 29,563.[6] Davies represented Yorkshire while at Batley, and scored five conversions against Durham at Belle Vue, Wakefield during November 1903.[7] and played right-centre, i.e. number 3, in the 0-21 defeat by Huddersfield in the 1909–10 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1909–10 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 27 November 1909, in front of a crowd of 22,000.

Davies later worked as an insurance agent.[1] He died aged 87 in Spen Valley district, West Riding of Yorkshire.[3]

References

1. 1939 England and Wales Register
2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
3. "Death details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
4. Batley Bulldogs Club Records
5. Robert Gate (1988). Gone North - Volume 2. ISBN 0-9511190-3-6
6. Les Hoole (1998). The Rugby League Challenge Cup - An Illustrated History. ISBN 1859830943, ISBN 978-1859830949
7. C. F. Shaw (7 November 1903). Black & White Illustrated Budget Page-171 - Yorkshire's Champion Goal Kicker. ISBN n/a

External links

• The Origin and Early Years of the Cardiff and District Rugby Union