Sam Walker (rugby union)
{{Short description|Irish rugby union player (1912–1972)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Sam Walker
| birth_name = Samuel Walker
| image =
| birth_date = 21 April 1912
| death_date = {{death date and age|1972|1|20|1912|4|21|df=y}}
| birth_place = Belfast, Ireland
| death_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland
| height =
| weight =
| ru_currentteam =
| ru_currentposition =
| position = Prop
| years1 = 1934-1938
| years2 = 1934-?
| clubs1 = Instonians
| clubs2 = Barbarian F.C.
| repyears1 = 1934–1938
| repyears2 = 1938
| repteam1 = Ireland
| repteam2 = British Isles XV
| repcaps1 = 15
| repcaps2 = 3
| reppoints1 = 7
| reppoints2 = 0
| occupation = Banker
}}
Samuel Walker (21 April 1912 – 20 January 1972)[http://www.espnscrum.com/ireland/rugby/player/4173.html Sam Walker player profile] Scrum.com was an Irish rugby union player. Walker played club rugby for Instonians and played international rugby for Ireland and was captain of the British Isles team in their 1938 tour of South Africa.[http://www.lionsrugby.com/6012.php?player=18408&includeref=dynamic Sam Walker lions profile] lionsrugby.com
Rugby career
Walker came to note as a rugby player when he represented Instonians. During the 1934/35 season, he was also selected to play for invitational tourists, the Barbarians.{{cite book |last=Starmer-Smith |first=Nigel |title=The Barbarians |year=1977 |publisher=Macdonald & Jane's Publishers|page=232 |isbn=0-86007-552-4}} He won his first international cap when he was selected for the Irish national team during the 1934 Home Nations Championship. he won 15 caps for his country between 1934 and 1938, and captained the team in his final international game, against Wales, at Swansea.
In 1938, he was selected to captain the British & Irish Lions team on their tour of South Africa. He is recognised as an able captain, who managed to sustain good morale in a Lions team that was devastated by injuries.Griffiths (1990), pg 56 He also fostered an open style of play that resulted in exciting and free scoring matches, which delighted the South African spectators. Walker showed excellent fitness himself during the tour, and was able to lead the British & Irish Lions team out for 17 invitational games and all three Tests against the South African national team. On the tour he usually played his favoured role as prop, alongside Bunner Travers.
Notes
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References
- {{cite book |last=Griffiths |first=John|title=The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records |year=1987 |publisher=Phoenix House |location=London |isbn=0-460-07003-7}}
- {{cite book |last=Griffiths |first=John|title=British Lions |year=1990 |publisher=Crowood Press |location=Swindon |isbn=1-85223-541-1}}
{{Ireland national rugby union team captains}}
{{British and Irish Lions team captains}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Sam}}
Category:Rugby union players from Belfast
Category:Irish rugby union players
Category:Ireland international rugby union players
Category:Ireland national rugby union team captains
Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland
Category:Barbarian F.C. players
Category:Instonians rugby union players
Category:Irish rugby union commentators