Billy Mainwaring facts for kids
| Birth name | Gwilym Thomas Mainwaring | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 24 January 1941 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Port Talbot, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 1 April 2019 (aged 78) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Eastern School, Taibach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | steelworker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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William Thomas Mainwaring, also known as Billy Mainwaring, was a famous Welsh rugby player. He was born on January 24, 1941, and passed away on April 1, 2019. Billy played as a 'second row' (a position in the scrum) for the Welsh national team and for Aberavon RFC.
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Billy Mainwaring's Rugby Journey
Billy Mainwaring started his rugby career in his hometown. He played for his village team, Taibach RFC, where he learned the game. Soon, he became a regular player for Aberavon RFC.
Playing for Wales
Billy earned his first chance to play for the Welsh national team in the 1966-67 season. His first international match was against Scotland at Murrayfield. He played in all of Wales' games that season.
In the next season, 1967-68, Billy was one of four players from Aberavon RFC who played against the famous All Blacks team from New Zealand. His last game for Wales was against England in 1968.
Captain of Aberavon RFC
Billy was a very important player for Aberavon RFC. He was chosen to be the team captain for two seasons: 1969-70 and 1970-71. He continued to play for the club until their 100th anniversary season in 1976-77.
During his time at Aberavon, Billy formed strong partnerships with other players. He played alongside Max Wiltshire and later with Allan Martin. Both of these players also played for the Welsh national team.
Life After Playing
After he stopped playing rugby, Billy Mainwaring continued to be involved with Aberavon RFC. He became a selector, helping to choose new players for the team.
Billy's mother, Mrs. Evelyn Mainwaring, was a very enthusiastic supporter of Aberavon. She was known for her loud and funny advice from the stands. She was popular with rugby fans all over Wales. Once, when Billy got into a small fight during a game, she famously shouted, "Put him down, Billy, he's playing for Wales on Saturday!"
