Willie Llewellyn

William 'Willie' Llewellyn

Llewellyn, taken Jan 1905 while captain against England
Full name	William Morris Llewellyn
Date of birth	(1878-01-01)1 January 1878
Place of birth	Tonypandy,Wales
Date of death	12 March 1973(1973-03-12) (aged 95)
Place of death	PontyclunWales
Height	5 ft 7½ in
Weight	11 st (154 lb; 70 kg)
School	Christ College, Brecon
University	Pharmaceutical College, Bloomsbury
Notable relative(s)	Tom Williams uncle
Occupation(s)	pharmacist
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) ??? <1898-1900 1900–1906 1902–1905 1906–??? Ystrad Rhondda RFC Llwynypia RFC London Welsh RFC Newport RFC Penygraig RFC Cardiff RFC Glamorgan County RFC Surrey () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1899–1905 1904 Wales Great Britain 20 4 (48) (12)

Position(s)	Wing
Amateur team(s)
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
??? <1898-1900 1900–1906 1902–1905 1906–???	Ystrad Rhondda RFC Llwynypia RFC London Welsh RFC Newport RFC Penygraig RFC Cardiff RFC Glamorgan County RFC Surrey		()
National team(s)
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
1899–1905 1904	Wales Great Britain	20 4	(48) (12)

William Morris "Willie" Llewellyn (1 January 1878 – 12 March 1973) was a Welsh international rugby union player. He captained Wales in 1905 and London Welsh in 1902. He was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks, toured with the British Isles to Australasia in 1904 and won three Triple Crown trophies. He played club rugby for many teams, predominantly for Llwynypia and Newport.

Llewellyn began his club rugby days with Rhondda team Ystrad Rhondda before moving to Llwynypia. Although an unfashionable second tier club, Llwynypia had already provided two Welsh internationals, Dick Hellings and Billy Alexander, and Llewellyn joined their ranks when he was capped in 1899. In 1900 he moved to London to study at the Pharmaceutical College in Bloomsbury and joined a shabby London Welsh team. Llewellyn's arrival is seen as a turning point for the club; he was immediately made captain and turned the team from a losing side to a force to be reckoned with. On his return to Wales, Llewellyn joined first class club, Newport, who he would stay with through four seasons. On his retirement from international rugby Llewellyn returned to second class club rugby and the Rhondda when he joined Penygraig.

Llewellyn made his debut for Wales against England in 1899, alongside Welsh greats Billy Bancroft and Gwyn Nicholls. It was an impressive display from Llewellyn and the team, with England thoroughly beaten and Llewellyn scoring four tries. Llewellyn scored again on his second game, which was against Scotland, and should have scored on his third match when he faced Ireland but for a poor choice by team mate Reg Skrimshire.

Llewellyn was part of the 1900, 1902 and 1905 Triple Crown winning sides, but his true moment of glory was being part of the great Welsh side of 1905 which beat the Original All Blacks. He was considered a poor choice for the game by many critics as at the time of the game he had switched to Penygraig, a junior club, and he was considered too old for the wing. An uncharacteristic fumble within distance of the try line may have proven his detractors correct, but it did not affect the end result and his marking of the All Black Billy Wallace was noted as being ruthlessly impressive.