Gus Merry

Gus Merry
Full name James Augustus Merry
Date of birth January, February, or March 1888
Place of birth Newport, Wales
Date of death 14 December 1943(1943-12-14) (aged 55)
Place of death Newport, Wales
Occupation(s) Crane driver
Rugby league career
Position Back
Professional clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1912-14 Hull RLFC 35
National teams
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1913 Wales 1 (0)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Hooker
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
Pill Harriers RFC
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1912 Wales 2 (0)

James Augustus "Gus" Merry (c. 1888[1] – 14 December 1943)[2] was a Welsh international rugby hooker who played rugby union for Pill Harriers and rugby league with Hull. He won two caps for Wales at rugby union and later represented the Wales rugby league team in 1913.

Rugby career

Merry was born circa 1888, in Newport, Wales. A crane driver by profession,[3] he played amateur rugby for Pill Harriers, a notably tough team that played in Newport. Merry made his international début for Wales during the 1912 Five Nations Championship, in a much changed team for the encounter with Ireland. In the first two matches of the campaign, Wales had lost to England, but then beat Scotland. Despite the win over Scotland, the Ireland match saw the Welsh selectors bring in seven new caps, five of them in the pack. The inexperience of the Welsh team showed on the day and Wales were beaten 12-5, after the Welsh led 5-0 at half time.[4] Merry played one final game for Wales under the union code, the last match of the 1912 Championship, played in his home town of Newport against France. After a slow start Wales came through to narrowly beat the French, who were a weak team in their infancy.

It is unknown if Merry would have gained any further caps for the Welsh union team as in 1912 he switched to the professional code, joining Hull. He made his début on 5 September and played 35 games for Hull.[3] On 15 February 1913, Merry was selected to play for the Wales rugby league team, making him a dual code international.[5] His only cap for Wales was against England, played at Plymouth. Wales lost 16-40. In 1919 he made a failed application to rejoin the union code.[3]

Bibliography

Jenkins, John M.; et al. (1991). Who's Who of Welsh International Rugby Players. Wrexham: Bridge Books. ISBN 1-872424-10-4. 

References

  1. ↑ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Gus Merry rugby profile Scrum.com
  3. 1 2 3 Jenkins (1991), pg 110.
  4. ↑ Godwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883-1983. London: Willow Books. p. 110. ISBN 0-00-218060-X.
  5. ↑ Gate, Robert (1986). Gone North: Volume 1. Ripponden: R.E. Gate. p. 142. ISBN 0-9511190-0-1.

External links

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