Frank Gordon (rugby player)
| Full name | Frank Gordon | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Genny | ||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position(s) | Centre | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Amateur team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1894 - 1907 | Swansea RFC | () | |
Frank "Genny" Gordon was a Welsh rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea Rugby Club. Although never capped for his country he is notable for captaining Swansea over two seasons, including the 1904/05 "invincible" season. Gordon also led Swansea against the first touring New Zealand team in 1906.
Gordon joined Swansea in 1894, and spent several seasons playing for the "all whites" before succeeding Billy Bancroft as the captain of the first XV. He would captain Swansea over four seasons, when Swansea won the Welsh championship twice, including the 1904/05 "invincible" season when Swansea finished unbeaten by all club opposition. In 1904, with Gordon now into his third season as Swansea captain, he was listed as a replacement centre for the upcoming Wales encounter with Ireland, the final match of the 1904 Home Nations Championship, which happened to be played at Swansea. The present Welsh centre was Swansea team-mate and his vice-captain, Dan Rees. On the morning of the match Rees informed the Welsh Rugby Union that he was ineligible to play. This was seen by the Welsh selectors as an attempt by the Swansea club to manoeuvre their popular captain into the now empty slot in the Welsh team, to provide him with his first international cap in front of their own ground. The selectors acted angrily, and recalled semi-retired Wales captain Gwyn Nicholls to take the vacant position, rather than be dictated in their actions by the Swansea club. Despite Wales winning the match, Nicholls was treated poorly by the crowd who reportedly threw oranges and mud at him during the team photo. Whether through the perceived actions of his club or not, Gordon never represented Wales at international level.
Gordon was a player worthy of a cap and I for some time refused to accept the invitation to play. But on being told definitely that they [the WRU] would not tolerate a man standing down for another, and even if I persisted in my refusal they would not play Gordon.
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