1899 Home Nations Championship

The 1899 Home Nations Championship was the seventeenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between January 5 and March 18. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The 1899 Championship was won by Ireland who also took the Triple Crown. This was the fourth time Ireland had won the tournament and the second occasion they had achieved the Triple Crown, but would be Ireland's last success for some time; they would not win the title outright again until 1935 and their next Triple Crown came in 1948. The Irish success was down to an extremely strong defence with the Irish team conceding just a single penalty in the match against Scotland. The penalty itself was unprecedented as it was awarded for a tackle on a player who did not have the ball, the first time such a penalty had been given in an international game.

The 1899 championship was notable for the beginning of a period of underperformance for the English team; winning just seven of the next thirty three championship matches.

Table

Results

rugbybox
date = 1899-01-07
home = ru-rt|WAL | score = 26–3
away = ru|ENG | homescore = | awayscore = | stadium = Swansea
attendance =

rugbybox
date = 1899-02-04
home = ru-rt|IRE | score = 6–0
away = ru|ENG | homescore = | awayscore = | stadium = Dublin
attendance =

rugbybox
date = 1899-02-18
home = ru-rt|SCO | score = 3–9
away = ru|IRE | homescore = | awayscore = | stadium = Edinburgh
attendance =

rugbybox
date = 1899-03-04
home = ru-rt|SCO | score = 21–10
away = ru|WAL | homescore = | awayscore = | stadium = Edinburgh
attendance =

rugbybox
date = 1899-03-11
home = ru-rt|ENG | score = 0–5
away = ru|SCO | homescore = | awayscore = | stadium = London
attendance =

rugbybox
date = 1899-03-18
home = ru-rt|WAL | score = 0–3
away = ru|IRE | homescore = | awayscore = | stadium = Cardiff
attendance =

The matches

Wales vs. England

rugbybox
date = January 7, 1899
home = ru|WAL
score = 26 – 3
away = ru|ENG
homescore = Try: Llewellyn (4)
Huzzey (2)
Con: Bancroft (4)
awayscore = Try: Robinson
stadium = St Helens, Swansea
attendance = 20,000
referee = AJ Turnbull flagicon|SCO(Scotland)

Wales: Bancroft (Swansea) ("capt."), Huzzey (Cardiff), Nicholls (Cardiff), Skrimshire (Newport), Llewellyn (Llwynypia), E James (Swansea), D James (Swansea), J Blake (Cardiff), T Dobson (Cardiff), Alexander (Llwynypia), Scrine ((Swansea), Daniel (Llanelli), Brice (Aberavon), Hodges (Newport), Parker (Swansea) England: Gamlin (Devonport Albion), GC Robinson (Percy Park), PW Stout (Gloucester), PMR Royds (Blackheath) R Forrest (Wellington), R Livesay (Blackheath), A Rotherham (Richmond) ("capt."), F Jacob (Richmond), GR Gibson (Northern), J Daniell (Cambridge U), RF Oakes (Hartlepool Rovers), HW Dudgeon (Richmond), W Mortimer (Marlborough Nomads), CH Harper (Oxford U), J Davidson (Aspatria)----

Ireland vs. England

rugbybox
date = February 4, 1899
home = ru|IRE
score = 6 – 0
away = ru|ENG
homescore = Try: Allen
Pen: Magee
awayscore =
stadium = Landsdowne Road, Dublin
attendance =
referee = DG Findlay flagicon|SCO(Scotland)

Ireland: J Fulton (NIFC), IG Davidson (NIFC), JB Allison (Campbell C Belfast), G Harman (Dublin U), WH Brown (Dublin U), LM Magee (Bective Rangers) ("capt."), GG Allen (Derry), M Ryan (Rockwell College), J Ryan (Rockwell College), WG Byron (NIFC), J McIlwaine (NIFC), T McGown (NIFC), T Ahern (Queens C Cork), J Sealy (Dublin U), H McCoull (Belfast Albion) England: JF Byrne (Moseley), EF Fookes (Sowerby Bridge), PW Stout (Gloucester), JT Taylor (Castleford), S Anderson (Rockcliff), EW Taylor (Rockcliff), A Rotherham (Richmond) ("capt."), F Jacob (Richmond),C Thomas (Barnstable), AJL Darby (Cambridge U), JH Blacklock (Aspatria) HW Dudgeon (Richmond), JH Shooter (Morley), F Jacob (Richmond), J Davidson (Aspatria)----

cotland vs. Ireland

rugbybox
date = February 18, 1899
home = ru|SCO
score = 3 – 9
away = ru|IRE
homescore = Pen: Donaldson
awayscore = Try: Campbell
Reid
Sealy
stadium = Inverleith, Edinburgh
attendance =
referee = ET Gurdon flagicon|ENG(England)

Scotland: JM Reid (Edinburgh Acad), GT Campbell (London Scottish), DB Moneypenny (London Scottish F.C.|London Scottish), RT Neilson (W. of Scotland), T Scott (Longholm), WP Donaldson (W. of Scotland) ("capt."), JT Mabon (Jedforest), JH Couper (W. of Scotland),L Harvey (Greenock Wands), GC Kerr (Durham), WM McEwan (Edinburgh Acad) A MacKinnon (London Scottish), MC Morrison (Royal HSFP), HO Smith (Watsonians), RC Stevenson (Northumberland)

Ireland: J Fulton (NIFC), IG Davidson (NIFC), JB Allison (Campbell C Belfast), G Harman (Dublin U), WH Brown (Dublin U), LM Magee (Bective Rangers) ("capt."), GG Allen (Derry), M Ryan (Rockwell College), J Ryan (Rockwell College), WG Byron (NIFC), J McIlwaine (NIFC), T McGown (NIFC), T Ahern (Queens C Cork), J Sealy (Dublin U), H McCoull (Belfast Albion)

Match summary
The Irish trip to Scotland was a game of firsts; not only was the first supposed penalty awarded for an off-ball tackle, but this was the first match at Scotland's new home ground, Inverleith and it was the first time Ireland had managed to beat Scotland at a Scottish ground.----

cotland vs. Wales

rugbybox
date = March 4, 1899
home = ru|SCO
score = 21 – 10
away = ru|WAL
homescore = Try: Gedge
Smith
Moneypenny
Drop Gedge
Lamond

awayscore = Try: Llewellyn Lloyd
Llewellyn
Con Bancroft (2)
stadium = Inverleith, Edinburgh
attendance =
referee = MG Delaney flagicon|IRE(Ireland)

Scotland: H Rottenburg (London Scottish), HT Gedge (London Scottish), DB Moneypenny (London Scottish), GAW Lamond (Kelvinshire Acads), T Scott (Longholm), RT Neilson (W. of Scotland) , JW Simpson (Royal HSFP), JM Dykes (London Scottish), GC Kerr (Edingburugh Wands), WM McEwan (Edinburgh Acad) A MacKinnon (London Scottish), MC Morrison (Royal HSFP) ("capt."), HO Smith (Watsonians), RC Stevenson (Northumberland), WJ Thompson (W. of Scotland)

Wales: Bancroft (Swansea) ("capt."), Huzzey (Cardiff), Nicholls (Cardiff), Skrimshire (Newport), Llewellyn (Llwynypia), S Biggs (Cardiff), G Llewellyn Lloyd (Newport), J Blake (Cardiff), T Dobson (Cardiff), Alexander (Llwynypia), Scrine (Swansea), Brice (Aberavon), Hodges (Newport), Parker (Swansea), R Hellings (Llwynypia)

Almost two months after the tournament began, Wales took their first trip to Inverleith after bad weather postponed the match on four occasions. This was the highest scoring game of the competition.----

England vs. Scotland

rugbybox
date = March 11, 1899
home = ru|ENG
score = 0 – 5
away = ru|SCO
homescore =
awayscore = Try: Gillespie
Con Thompson
stadium = Rectory Field, Blackheath
attendance =
referee = JT Magee flagicon|IRE(Ireland)

England: Gamlin (Devonport Albion), EF Fookes (Sowerby Bridge), PW Stout (Gloucester), WL Bunting (Richmond), RC Matters (RNEC Keyham), RO Schwarz (Richmond), A Rotherham (Richmond) ("capt."), HW Dudgeon (Richmond), RF Oakes (Hartlepool Rovers), Jas Davidson (Aspatria R.F.C.|Aspatria), Jos Davidson (Aspatria R.F.C.|Aspatria), FM Stout (Gloucester), R.F.A. Hobbs (Blackheath) , JH Shooter (Morley), AO Dowson (Moseley)

Scotland: H Rottenburg (London Scottish), HT Gedge (London Scottish), DB Moneypenny (London Scottish), GAW Lamond (Kelvinshire Acads), T Scott (Longholm), JI Gillespie (Edinburgh Acad), JW Simpson (Royal HSFP), JM Dykes (London Scottish), GC Kerr (Edingburugh Wands), WM McEwan (Edinburgh Acad) A MacKinnon (London Scottish), MC Morrison (Royal HSFP) ("capt."), HO Smith (Watsonians), RC Stevenson (Northumberland), WJ Thompson (W. of Scotland)

In a game that saw the only international partnership between English brothers, Jason and Joseph Davidson; England's loss gave the team the Wooden Spoon for the first time in the Home Nations tournament. This game saw the end of eleven international careers, seven from England and four from Scotland.----

Wales vs. Ireland

rugbybox
date = March 18, 1899
home = ru|WAL
score = 0 – 3
away = ru|IRE
homescore =
awayscore = Try: Doran
stadium = Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
attendance =
referee = AJ Turnbull flagicon|SCO(Scotland)

Wales: Bancroft (Swansea) ("capt."), Huzzey (Cardiff), Nicholls (Cardiff), Skrimshire (Newport), Llewellyn (Llwynypia), S Biggs (Cardiff), G Llewellyn Lloyd (Newport), Alexander (Llwynypia), J Blake (Cardiff), Cornish (Cardiff), , DJ Daniel ((Llanelli), Brice (Aberavon), Hodges (Newport), Boots (Newport), R Hellings (Llwynypia)

Ireland: PE O'Brien-Butler (Monkstown), GP Doran (Landsdowne), C Reid (NIFC), G Harman (Dublin U), EF Campbell (Monkstown), LM Magee (Bective Rangers) ("capt."), GG Allen (Derry), CCH Moriarty (Monkstown), M Ryan (Rockwell College), WG Byron (NIFC), J McIlwaine (NIFC), J Ryan (Rockwell College), AWD Meares (Dublin U), J Sealy (Dublin U), TJ Little (Bective Rangers)

Over 40,000 people turned out at the Cardiff Arms Park to see Ireland win the Triple Crown, a record for a Home Nations match. The only score was a try from Gerry Doran and the crowd at stages was uncontrollable with delight. The normal five minutes for half time stretched to fifteen minutes as officials tried to push the invading crowd from the pitch. The second half also suffered similar disruption as the crowd, which packed the touch-lines spilled onto the pitch during play. The match is also remembered as being the game that Welsh captain Billy Bancroft failed to complete after he was thrown into the crowd by Irish brothers Mick and Jack Ryan. Bancroft fell awkwardly, fracturing several ribs and was forced to retire.

External links

*cite web| url=http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/6nations.htm |title=6 Nations History |publisher=rugbyfootballhistory.com |accessdate=2008-01-19

Bibliography

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References