Ernie Finch
| Full name | Ernest Finch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 16 July 1899 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Pembroke Dock,Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 1 October 1983 (aged 84) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Haverfordwest, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Pembroke Dock County School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Monmouth Training college | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position(s) | Wing | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Amateur team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| ? ? 1922-? |
Caerleon RFC Pembroke Dock Harlequins Llanelli RFC Western Counties |
() | |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1924–1928 | Wales | 7 | (12) |
Ernie Finch (16 July 1899 - 1 October 1983) was a Welsh international rugby union wing and played club rugby for Llanelli and county rugby for the Western Counties. Finch is most notable as the player who scored an excellent solo try against the 1924 touring New Zealand 'Invincibles' in their match against Llanelli.
Born Ernest Finch in Pembroke Dock to Abram and Emily Finch. His father was a retired police officer who upon moving to Wales and marrying Emily, his second wife, became a school board attendance monitor.
Finch first played senior rugby for local team Pembroke Dock Harlequins before moving to first class team Llanelli in 1922. Finch was first selected for Wales in the late game of the 1924 Five Nations Championship in an away game to France. Although Wales won, it was a messy Welsh performance caused by the decision of the Welsh Rugby Union officials to suspend Welsh player Ossie Male on the trip to Paris. The squad was thrown into turmoil, with several players being forced into unfamiliar positions. Finch managed to get his name on the scoreboard during the game when he scored one of two Welsh tries.
Finch was re-selected for the next Welsh international, this time against the touring New Zealand team. Wales were completely outclassed and lost the game 19-0, and Finch would face the All Blacks just four days later as his Llanelli team played host to the tourists. The New Zealanders faced far stiffer opposition as Llanelli went on the offensive. The forwards tackled with ferocity and Llanelli may have won with better kicking accuracy. In the match, Finch scored Llanelli's only points with a memorable solo try. Finch took a quick line-out, took the returning ball and left Hart flat-footed as he sped past him. With the try line in sight the only All Black defender was George Nepia. As Nepia closed in, Finch stopped dead, Nepia paused and then threw a tackle which Finch dodged, leaving him a clear try line to score over.
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