Teddy Morgan
{{Short description|GB Lions & Wales international rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Teddy Morgan
| image = Teddy Morgan.jpg
| caption = Morgan in Wales jersey (c 1905)
| birth_name = Edward T. Morgan
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1880|5|22}}
| birth_place = Aberdare, Wales
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1949|9|1|1880|5|22}}
| death_place = North Walsham[http://www.blackandambers.co.uk/Personnel.aspx?pr=105826 Newport RFC Personnel Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518075239/http://www.blackandambers.co.uk/Personnel.aspx?pr=105826 |date=18 May 2011 }} England
| height = {{convert|171|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|70|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}
| position = Wing
| amatyears1 = 1901–03
| amatyears2 =
| amatyears3 = 1900–?
| amatyears4 =
| amatyears5 = 1906
| amatteam1 = Newport RFC
| amatteam2 = Guy's Hospital
| amatteam3 = London Welsh RFC
| amatteam4 = Swansea RFC
| amatteam5 = Glamorgan County RFC
| amatapps1 = 2
| amatapps2 =
| amatapps3 =
| amatpoints1 = 13
| amatpoints2 =
| amatpoints3 =
| ru_amupdate =
| repteam1 = Wales
| repteam2 = Great Britain
| repyears1 = 1902–1908
| repyears2 = 1904
| repcaps1 = 16
| repcaps2 = 4
| reppoints1 = 42
| reppoints2 = 3
| ru_ntupdate =
| occupation = doctor
| relatives = William Llewellyn Morgan, brother
Guy Morgan, nephew
| school = Christ College, Brecon{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/4406662.stm |title=School remembers Teddy's 1905 try |publisher=BBC |date=4 February 2005 |access-date=10 July 2008}}
| university = Guy's Hospital
}}
Edward Morgan (22 May 1880 – 1 September 1949)[https://archive.today/20110526142709/http://www.wru.co.uk/12750_14256.php?player=26185&includeref=dynamic WRU player profile] was a Welsh international rugby union player. He was a member of the victorious Wales team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks in the famous Match of the Century and is remembered for scoring the game's winning try. He played club rugby for London Welsh and Swansea.
Career
Morgan became a general practitioner in Sketty, Swansea before moving to a new practice in East Anglia. While at Sketty, another international rugby player joined his practice in the early 1920s, D Bertram, who would go on to be capped 11 times for Scotland.[http://www.swansearfc.co.uk/history_browser_view.php?image_id=492 Swansea R.F.C. player profiles]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }} Morgan died on 1 September 1949 in North Walsham. In 2008, Morgan was celebrated by the local council when it was decided to raise a blue plaque at his birthplace to commemorate his life.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7633599.stm Blue plaques mark proud heritage] BBC News 24 September 2008
Rugby career
=Wales=
Morgan moved to London from Newport in 1902 to take up a post at Guy's Hospital, and played with London Welsh. It was while playing in London that Morgan earned his first international cap, for Wales against England. Morgan's career with Wales saw him score 14 tries from the wing, but his best-remembered was that scored against the Original All Blacks in the Match of the Century at Cardiff Arms Park on 16 December 1905. In the monumental match between the unbeaten All Blacks and the Triple Crown-winning Welsh team, Morgan is believed to have led his team in singing the Welsh national anthem in response to the New Zealanders' haka. This was the first time a national anthem had been sung at a sporting event.{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbymuseum.co.nz/asp/container_pages/normal_menu/rmArticle.asp?IDID=150 |title=The 1905/06 'Originals' |publisher=rugbymuseum.co.nz |access-date=10 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910224223/http://www.rugbymuseum.co.nz/asp/container_pages/normal_menu/rmArticle.asp?IDID=150 |archive-date=10 September 2012 }} The strongly contested game was decided by a single score. In the twenty-fifth minute, Welsh scrum half Dicky Owen released the ball to Cliff Pritchard, who received the ball at ankle level before darting forward. Having run past Bob Dean, Pritchard released to Rhys Gabe who in turn found Morgan. Morgan dummied George Gillett and touched the ball down in the corner.Parry-Jones (1999), pg 152.
After the match Morgan expressed disagreement with the referee's controversial decision to disallow a try claimed by New Zealand player Bob Deans. A contemporary reporter stated "Morgan sprinted across from the left wing, and helped Winfield to save what otherwise would have been a try by tackling Deans before be grounded the ball, and, though a splendid effort was made by the centre threequarter to straggle over, timely reinforcements came to Morgan, and the ball was grounded between two and three feet from the line, though Deans considers he grounded the ball in goal.[http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3433166/3433177/264 Wales v. New Zealand. A Welsh Triumph]. Report by "Old Stager", Cardiff Times and South Wales Weekly News, 23 December 1905, at National Library of Wales. But the incident has been the subject of different accounts, with Cliff Pritchard, Rhys Gabe and Welsh captain Gwyn Nicholls claiming to have been among the tacklers and in a good position to see that the ball was grounded short of the line.Davis J. C. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/135648289 Old Welsh Rugby Heroes Foregather at the Microphone] The Referee, Sydney, 13 February 1936, at TroveThomas (1979), pg39.Parry-Jones (1999), pg 156.
=International games played=
- {{ru|ENG}} 1902, 1904, 1905, 1906
- {{ru|FRA}} 1908
- {{ru|IRE}} 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906
- {{ru|NZL}} 1905
- {{ru|SCO}} 1902, 1904, 1905, 1906
- {{ru|RSA}} 1906
=British Isles=
In 1904 Morgan was one of the Welsh players chosen to tour AustralasiaSmith (1980), pg 148. under the captaincy of Bedell-Sivright. Morgan would captain the British team against both Australia and New Zealand during this tour.
Bibliography
- {{cite book |last=Jones |first=Stephen |author2=Paul Beken |title=Dragon in Exile, The Centenary History of London Welsh R.F.C. |year=1985 |publisher=Springwood Books |location=London |isbn=0-86254-125-5}}
- {{cite book |last=Parry-Jones |first=David |title=Prince Gwyn, Gwyn Nicholls and the First Golden Era of Welsh Rugby |year=1999 |publisher=seren |location=Bridgend |isbn=1-85411-262-7}}
- {{cite book |last=Thomas |first=Wayne |title=A Century of Welsh Rugby Players |year=1979 |publisher=Ansells Ltd}}
- {{cite book |last=Smith |first=David |author2=Williams, Gareth |title=Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union |year=1980 |publisher=University of Wales Press |location=Cardiff |isbn=0-7083-0766-3}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{British and Irish Lions team captains}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1904}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, Teddy}}
Category:Welsh rugby union players
Category:Wales international rugby union players
Category:20th-century Welsh medical doctors
Category:Wales rugby union captains
Category:Rugby union players from Aberdare
Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Wales
Category:Glamorgan County RFC players
Category:London Welsh RFC players