Billy Watkins (rugby)

William Watkins
Personal information
Full name William Watkins
Born c. 1910
Died January 1972 (aged 61)[1]
Playing information
Rugby union

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Cross Keys RFC
Rugby league
Position Scrum-half

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1931–46 Salford 435 14 0 0 42
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1932–36 Wales 6 0 0 0 0
1933–37 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [2]

William Watkins (c. 1910 – January 1972), also known by the nickname of "Billy", was a Welsh rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s and 1940s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Cross Keys RFC, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for Salford, as a scrum-half/halfback, i.e. number 7.[3]

Playing career

International honours

Billy Watkins won caps for Wales (RL) while at Salford in 1932–1936 6-caps, and won caps for Great Britain (RL) while at Salford in 1933 against Australia, in 1936 against Australia (2 matches), New Zealand (2 matches), and in 1937 against Australia (2 matches).[2]

Les Diables Rouges

Billy Watkins was one of the players who successfully toured in France with Salford in 1934, during which the Salford team earned the name "Les Diables Rouges", the seventeen players were; Joe Bradbury, Bob Brown, Aubrey Casewell, Paddy Dalton, Bert Day, Cliff Evans, Jack Feetham, George Harris, Barney Hudson, Emlyn Jenkins, Alf Middleton, Sammy Miller, Harold Osbaldestin, Les Pearson, Gus Risman, Billy Watkins and Billy Williams.[4]

Championship Final appearances

Billy Watkins played scrum-half/halfback in Salford's 3-15 defeat by Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1933–34 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 28 April 1934.[5]

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Billy Watkins played scrum-half/halfback in Salford's 7-4 victory over Barrow in the 1938 Challenge Cup Final during the 1937–38 season at Wembley Stadium, London, in front of a crowd of 51,243.

County Cup Final appearances

About Billy Watkins' time, there was Salford's 2-15 defeat by Warrington in the 1929 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1929–30 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 23 November 1929, the 10-8 victory over Swinton in the 1931 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1931–32 season at The Cliff, Broughton, Salford on Saturday 21 November 1931, the 21-12 victory over Wigan in the 1934 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1934–35 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 20 October 1934, the 15-7 victory over Wigan in the 1935 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1935–36 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 19 October 1935, the 5-2 victory over Wigan in the 1936 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1936–37 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 17 October 1936, and he played scrum-half/halfback in the 7-10 defeat by Wigan in the 1938 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1938–39 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 22 October 1938.[6]

Family

Billy Watkins was the father of; Huw Watkins, Gareth Watkins and Haydn Watkins, and the grandfather of the cricketer, Ryan Watkins.

References

  1. ↑ "Billy Watkins". The Guardian. London. 7 January 1972. p. 21.
  2. 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ↑ Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  4. ↑ "The story of The Original Red Devils". reds.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "1933–1934 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "22nd October 1938: Salford 7 Wigan 10 (Lancashire Cup Final)". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
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