Arthur Gould: Rugby's First Superstar
()
About this ebook
Nicknamed ‘Monkey’ due to his childhood fondness for climbing trees, Gould played the majority of his club rugby for Newport RFC and won a then-record 27 Welsh caps; 25 of which were at centre (a record only bettered by Steve Fenwick in 1980); and captained his country 18 times (a record only beaten in 1994 by Ieuan Evans). A true sporting sensation, when he retired in 1899 Gould had played more first-class matches and scored more tries and drop goals than any other player.
Gould’s superstar status was illustrated late in his career when a testimonial appeal received widespread public support and resulted in the Scottish and Irish unions cancelling their fixtures with Wales in protest at the apparent breach of the game’s strict amateur ethos. The controversy deepened when the Welsh Football Union (now the WRU) stood firmly behind their iconic player and withdrew from the International Rugby Board. Fearing that lucrative fixtures with Welsh clubs might be lost and that Wales might join forces with the newly established Northern Union of professional rugby, England’s Rugby Football Union brokered a ‘one-off’ dispensation which enabled Gould to benefit from the testimonial while retaining his amateur status, and ensured that international fixtures were resumed.
Comprehensively researched and written by acclaimed rugby historian, Gwyn Prescott, with the full support and encouragement of the Gould family, Arthur Gould – Rugby’s First Superstar includes over 100 illustrations and will be enjoyed by all who love rugby and treasure its sporting and cultural heritage.
Gwyn Prescott
A native of Cardiff who captained the Welsh Secondary School XV in 1965 and played for Cambridge University's 1st XV, Gwyn Prescott was awarded an MPhil in 2006 on the history of rugby and is the author of numerous rugby histories including, 'This rugby spellbound people' - The Birth of Rugby in Cardiff and Wales (St. David's Press, 2015), and 'Call Them to Remeembrance' - The Welsh Rugby Internationals Who Died in the Great War (St. David's Press, 2014 & 2021).
Related to Arthur Gould
Related ebooks
Poor Man's Golf Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBehind the Silver Fern: Playing Rugby for New Zealand Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGolf: An Unofficial and Unauthorized History of the World's Most Preposterous Sport Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Call Them to Remembrance (2nd Edition): The Welsh Rugby Internationals Who Died in the Great War Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCricket Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSporting Society, Vol. I (of 2) or, Sporting Chat and Sporting Memories Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGolf: The True Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Fourth Innings with Cardus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDave Gallaher: The Original All Black Captain Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5WHAT Did You Say Stopped Play?: 25 Years of the Wisden Chronicle Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe History Of Retrievers (A Vintage Dog Books Breed Classic - Labrador - Flat-Coated Retriever - Golden Retriever) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bodyline Hypocrisy: Conversations with Harold Larwood Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe O’Farrell Cup: The Quest for the Holy Grail of Riverina Cricket Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA History of Golf: The Royal and Ancient Game Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPunch, or the London Charivari, Volume 102, February 27, 1892 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBehind the Dragon: Playing Rugby for Wales Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGolf: The Marvelous Mania Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Corner of Every Foreign Field: English Game to a Global Sport Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Complete Golfer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEdgehill 1642: The Battle Reinterpreted Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHows That? - A Little Book on Cricket for Boys and Beginners Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Wrong ’Un: The Brad Hogg Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGolf, A Very Peculiar History Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCricket Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWoodlore for Young Sportsmen: Survival in the Wild and Hints on Hunting Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Greater Game: Sporting Icons Who Fell in the Great War Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ashes According to Bumble Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5How to Watch a Game of Rugby Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One of a Kind: The Doug Walters Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Arthur Gould
0 ratings0 reviews