Jack Morley facts for kids
Morley in New Zealand in 1930
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| Birth name | John Cuthbert Morley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 28 July 1909 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Newport, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 7 March 1972 (aged 62) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Newport, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft. 7 in. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 11 st. 8 lb. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Newport Secondary School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Dentist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby league career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John "Jack" Cuthbert Morley (born July 28, 1909 – died March 7, 1972) was a fantastic Welsh rugby player. He played both rugby union for Newport and rugby league for Wigan. Jack was a special player because he was the first person to tour Australia and New Zealand with both kinds of British rugby teams! He played 14 times for the Welsh rugby union team and 5 times for the Welsh rugby league team.
Jack was mostly a wing player, which means he played on the side of the field. But he was also very good at playing other positions. People knew him for his amazing speed and how quickly he could change direction. He was a smart and unique player on the field.
Contents
Jack Morley's Rugby Journey
Jack Morley started playing rugby for Wales when he was still a schoolboy. After finishing at Newport Municipal Secondary School, he joined the Newport club. In his very first season, he scored 29 tries!
By 1931, when he was just 21 years old, Jack became the captain of the senior Newport team. This was a big deal because he was the youngest player ever to get this honor. He led Newport in a game against the touring South African team in October 1931. During that match, he made a famous zigzag run that helped his teammate Ken Richards score a try. The South Africans were so impressed they tried to stop him from running freely for the rest of the game.
In August 1932, Jack decided to switch from rugby union to rugby league. He left Newport and joined Wigan, a professional rugby league team.
Playing for Wigan
Jack Morley became a key player for Wigan. He played as a right wing, wearing the number 2 jersey.
One of his big moments was in the Championship Final during the 1933–34 season. Jack scored a try, helping Wigan win 15–3 against Salford. This important game took place at Wilderspool Stadium in Warrington on April 28, 1934.
He also played in the Lancashire County Cup Final in the 1938–39 season. Wigan beat Salford 10–7 in that match, which was played at Station Road, Swinton on October 22, 1938.
Jack also played in a special match where Wigan beat the French national team 30–27. He scored two tries in that exciting game at Central Park in Wigan on March 10, 1934.
International Rugby Career
Jack Morley played for his country, Wales, in both rugby union and rugby league.
Playing for Wales in Rugby Union
Jack's first game for the Welsh rugby union team was against England on January 19, 1929. Even though his team lost, he scored a try on his very first international game! He got the ball far from the try line, ran inwards, and then cut back to score.
He continued to play for Wales in the Championship that year. He also played in two matches in 1930. In 1932, he played in all four matches of Wales's Championship-winning season. Jack scored in almost every game that year, except for one against France, which was surprising because Wales scored many tries in that match.
Jack played a total of 14 times for Wales in rugby union. His last game was against Ireland in 1932. He was still a young and exciting player, but he decided to join a professional rugby league team. This meant he could no longer play for the Welsh rugby union team.
Playing for the British Lions
In 1930, Jack Morley was chosen to play for the British Lions team. This team is made up of the best players from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. He played three matches against New Zealand during their tour.
Playing for Wales and Great Britain in Rugby League
After switching to rugby league, Jack also played for Wales in this code. He played five times for the Welsh rugby league team between 1932 and 1936.
He also represented Great Britain twice, playing against Australia in 1936 and 1937. He even played one game for the England rugby league team in 1933.
