*** Welcome to piglix ***

Archie Skym

Archie Skym
Full name Archibald Skym
Date of birth (1906-07-12)12 July 1906
Place of birth Drefach,Wales
Date of death 15 June 1970(1970-06-15) (aged 63)
Place of death Cardiff, Wales
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 86 kg (13 st 8 lb)
Occupation(s) Miner
Policeman
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1926
1926–1929
1929–1935
Tumble RFC
Llanelli RFC
Cardiff RFC
Carmarthenshire Police
Glamorgan Police RFC
Barbarians F.C.
()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1928–1935 Wales 20 (6)
Position(s) Prop
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1926
1926–1929
1929–1935
Tumble RFC
Llanelli RFC
Cardiff RFC
Carmarthenshire Police
Glamorgan Police RFC
Barbarians F.C.
()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1928–1935 Wales 20 (6)

Archie Skym (12 July 1906 – 15 June 1970) was an international rugby union player for Wales and played club rugby for Llanelli and Cardiff. Skym played as a prop and was renowned for his strength and vigour and was nicknamed The butcher. An excellent scrummager, he was known to be able to lift opponents in the front row. Skym had good hands and was able to dribble with some skill.

Due to his father's religious beliefs, Skym was not allowed to play rugby as a child, but during a nine-month miners strike Skym joined a local team, at his home town of Drefach, as something to do. Although an adult when he started playing, he picked up the game quickly and soon moved to Tumble Rugby Club. He impressed in his play and on 26 December 1926 he was playing for top-flight team Llanelli against London Welsh.

Although a Welsh international by early 1928, Llanelli didn't pick him to play once during the 1928/29 season, and by February Skym had enough and left for rival team Cardiff. With regular matches for Cardiff, Skym was back in the Welsh team. An excellent 1931/32 season including a great game for Cardiff against the South African team, saw Skym cement his place at international level. In January 1935, in a match against Swansea, Skym broke his ankle but stayed on the pitch for the entire game. It was injury that ended his international career and he retired from rugby at the end of the season.

Skym played twenty matches for Wales, his first cap was against England on January 21, 1928. He would score two tries, and was part of the Wales team that in 1933 finally beat England at Twickenham.

Wales


...
Wikipedia

...