George Travers (rugby union)

George Travers
Birth nameGeorge Travers
Date of birth(1877-06-09)9 June 1877
Place of birthNewport, Wales
Date of death26 December 1945(1945-12-26) (aged 68)
Place of deathNewport, Wales
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[1]
Weight12 st (168 lb; 76 kg)
SchoolTrinity Church School, Newport
Notable relative(s)Bunner Travers, son
Occupation(s)coal trimmer[2]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Mountain Ash RFC
Pill Harriers RFC
Newport RFC
Monmouthshire
()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1903-1911 Wales 25 (3)[3]

George "Twyber" Travers (9 June 1877 – 26 December 1945) was a Welsh international hooker who played club rugby for Pill Harriers[4] and Newport Rugby Football Club.[4] He won 25 caps for Wales between 1903 and 1911.[4]

Travers is seen as one of the rugby union's first specialist hookers.[1][5] Specialism in a forward position was unusual during the early history of rugby mainly due to the scrummaging rule, but Travers's ability shone through and as part of a seven-man pack was important in the Welsh wins against England in 1903 and in the famous Match of the Century victory against the All Blacks in 1905. Travers originally played club rugby for the Newport Docks-based side Pill Harriers, though he would later spend two seasons with Newport in 1901/02 and 1910/11.

  1. ^ a b Thomas (1979), pg 40.
  2. ^ "Newport RFC player profiles". Archived from the original on 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
  3. ^ Welsh Rugby Union player profiles[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ a b c Smith (1980), pg 136
  5. ^ Parry-Jones (1999), pg 102.