Charles Henry Pugh (7 March 1896 – 23 January 1951) was a Welsh international

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player who played rugby for three notable Welsh clubs,

Aberavon Aberavon () is a town and community in Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. The town derived its name from being near the mouth of the river Afan, which also gave its name to a medieval lordship. Today it is essentially a district of Por ...

Maesteg Maesteg (; ) is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2011, Maesteg had a population of 20,612. The English translatio ...

and

Neath Neath (; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a population of 19,2 ...

. He was capped seven times for

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

and was part of the Welsh team that faced the touring 1924 New Zealand team.

Rugby career

Pugh was first selected to represent Wales in the opening match of the

1924 Five Nations Championship The 1924 Five Nations Championship was the tenth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-seve ...

. Played at home at St Helen's, Wales faced England, who had finished the previous season as home nations Grand Slam winners. Under the captaincy of Joe Rees, Pugh was one of nine new Welsh caps in the team who would eventually lose 17-9 to England. Pugh was reselected for the next game of the tournament, away to Scotland, but this was an even worse result than the English game, with the Welsh team letting in eight tries. Six of the Wales team never played for the national team after this match, though the selectors kept faith in Pugh for the next match against Ireland. After Jack Whitfield's lone spell as captain in the Scotland game, the Welsh were now led by

Rowe Harding W. Rowe Harding (10 September 1901 – 10 February 1991) was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Swansea, a barrister, and a judge. An intelligent player, Harding played for several teams at club and international l ...

, though the result remained the same. In a close game at the

Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park (), also known as The Arms Park, is primarily a rugby union stadium, and also has a bowling green. It is situated in Cardiff, Wales, next to the Millennium Stadium. The Arms Park was host to the 1958 British Empire and Common ...

, Pugh scored his only international points when he scored one of two Welsh tries, though this was not enough to gain victory over the Irish team. In the final game of the tournament, Pugh found himself again selected, the only forward to have played in all four matches of the Championship.Smith (1980), pg 204. Towards the end of 1924, Pugh was part of the Welsh squad who faced

George Nēpia George Nēpia (; 25 April 1905 – 27 August 1986) was a New Zealand Māori rugby union and rugby league player. He is remembered as an exceptional full-back and one of the most famous Māori rugby players. He was inducted into the New Zealand ...

's touring New Zealand team. Wales were beaten in a one-sided affair, though Pugh worked tirelessly under the pack leadership of Steve Morris.Billot (1972), pg 68. Pugh played two more games for Wales, both in the 1925 Championship, against England and Scotland. Wales lost both matches, leaving Pugh with only a single victory in a seven match international career.

International matches played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 470. * 1924, 1925 * 1924 * 1924 * 1924, 1925 * 1924

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pugh, Charlie 1896 births 1951 deaths Aberavon RFC players Glamorgan Police RFC players Maesteg RFC players Neath RFC players Glamorgan Police officers People educated at Port Talbot County Boys' Grammar School Rugby union players from Pontypridd Rugby union locks Wales international rugby union players Welsh police officers Welsh rugby union players Glamorgan County RFC players