St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

OT027

Ball

CIC

Swansea RFC

1898-1899

Match ball, Wales v England 1899, rivetted metal engraved plaque.

This is the ball used when Wales defeated England 26 - 3 at St Helen's in 1899. The match marked the return albeit briefly, of the famous James brothers of Swansea at half-back. All the Welsh tries were scored on the wings, new cap Willie Llewellyn getting four of them! At full-back Swansea's Billy Bancroft was Welsh captain and as well as David and Evan James, Swansea was represented by Fred Scrine and Will Parker in the pack. The engraving on the plate reads: "ENGLAND v WALES PLAYED AT SWANSEA 7th JAN. 1899 WALES 4 GOALS, 2 TRIES ENGLAND 1 TRY. WELSH CAPTAIN W. J. BANCROFT."

ball, wales, st helen's, billy bancroft, w j bancroft, david james, evan james, james brothers, 1899, 1898-1899,