Arthur Daniels

Arthur Harper Daniels (12 September 1922[1] – 4 October 2001) was a Welsh rugby league footballer.

For the Seventh-day Adventist leader, see Arthur Grosvenor Daniells. For the footballer, see Arthur Daniels (footballer). For the Oklahoma politician, see Arthur N. Daniels.

Arthur Daniels
Personal information
Full nameArthur Harper Daniels
Born(1929-09-12)12 September 1929
Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Died4 October 2001 (aged 79)
Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales
Playing information
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight15 st 6 lb (98 kg)
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
25 August 1945–22 Apr 57 Halifax 376 215 2 0 649
Bradford Northern
Total 376 215 2 0 649
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1949 - 1953 Wales 13 9 27
1952 - 1955 Great Britain 3 1 3

Arthur Daniels was born in Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire, Wales. In 1945, he was one of three Welshmen, all from the Llanelli area, who had trials with the Halifax rugby league club (Heritage № 546). A wing, he made a relatively slow start to his rugby league career, which was interrupted with a period in the armed forces. Following a big improvement in his form in 1948–49, he was by 1949 an important part of the Halifax side.

In 1950, he toured Australasia with the Great Britain squad, but injury forced him to return home early before the first test. He made 13 appearances for Wales, scoring nine tries.[2]

He was Halifax captain for the 1952/53 season. However, injuries would curtail his season. A splintered ankle bone sustained in the Second Test playing for Great Britain against the touring Australians at Swinton kept him out of the third. A broken arm in a home match against Huddersfield on Christmas Day 1952 ended his season.

His domestic career also included two Challenge Cup Final appearances at Wembley. The first was in 1954 when Halifax drew with Warrington, the tie was settled in the famous Odsal replay where he had a try disallowed in a defeat for Halifax. His next Wembley appearance came in 1956 against St. Helens where once again, Halifax were the losing side.

International honours

Daniels won 13 caps for Wales in 1949–1953 while at Halifax, and won 3 caps for Great Britain in 1952–1955 while at Halifax.[3]

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Arthur Daniels played right wing, i.e. number 2, in Halifax's 4–8 defeat by Warrington in the 1954 Challenge Cup Final replay during the 1953–54 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Wednesday 5 May 1954, in front of a record crowd of 102,575 or more.[4]

Career highlight

All footballers during their career have one match which stands out more prominently than others. When Daniels was asked if there was such a game, he chose the First Test of the 1952 series against Australia at Headingley Rugby Stadium, a game in which he scored his first try at test level, helping to secure a 19–6 victory.

Bradford and retirement

The 1956–57 season was his last at Thrum Hall, after which he had a brief spell with Bradford Northern before his retirement.

After retiring, he lived for a time in the Halifax area where he was a publican. He moved to Pudsey and then Bramley, before moving back to Pontyberem. He later ran a newsagents in Swansea. He spent his later years in Neath.

Honoured at Halifax

Arthur Daniels is a Halifax Hall of Fame inductee.[5]

References
  1. "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  3. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. "Mud, blood and memories of the day when 102,575 made history at Odsal". The Independent. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  5. "Halifax Hall of Fame". halifaxrlfc.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
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