Phil Waller (rugby union) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Phil Waller

Birth name	Phillip Dudley Waller
Date of birth	(1889-01-28)28 January 1889
Place of birth	Bath, Somerset, England
Date of death	14 December 1917(1917-12-14) (aged 28)
Place of death	Arras, France
School	Carmarthen Intermediate School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forwards Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1906–1910 ? Newport RFC Monmouthshire Somerset Golden Lions () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1908–1910 1910 Wales< 6 3 (0) (0)

Phillip Dudley Waller (born January 28, 1889 – died December 14, 1917) was a talented rugby player. He was born in England but became an international forward for Wales. He played for clubs like Newport and a team in Johannesburg, South Africa. Phil also represented the British Isles team during their tour of South Africa in 1910. He played six times for Wales, which is a great achievement!

Phil Waller's Rugby Journey

Phil Waller joined the Newport rugby club in 1906. He played for the club 79 times, showing his dedication. While playing in Britain, he also represented two county teams: Somerset and Monmouthshire.

In 1908, Phil played for Newport against the touring Australian team. Soon after, he made his first appearance for the Welsh national team against the same Australian team.

Winning the Triple Crown

The next year, Phil was chosen to play in all three matches of the 1909 Home Nations Championship. In his first game against England, he played alongside other great players like Jack Jones from Newport. Wales won all their matches that year. This victory earned them the Triple Crown, a special award for beating all other home nations.

Wales and Phil also played against France in 1909. After beating France, Wales achieved an unofficial Grand Slam. This means they beat every team they played against in the championship that season. Phil Waller is one of the few Welsh players to have beaten a team from the Southern Hemisphere and won a Grand Slam in the same year. He played one more time for Wales in 1910, again against France, in a game that set new records.

Playing for the British Isles

In 1910, Phil Waller was selected for the British Isles team. This team went on a tour of South Africa. Phil was chosen to play in all three important test matches during the tour.

After the tour ended, Phil decided to stay in South Africa. He joined a rugby club in Johannesburg, playing for the Golden Lions. When World War I began, he joined the South Africa Artillery Regiment. Sadly, he was killed in France in 1917 while serving his country.

International Matches Played

Here are the international matches Phil Waller played in:

For Wales:

•  Australia 1905
•  England 1903
•  France 1909, 1911
•  Ireland 1909
•  Scotland 1909

For British Isles:

•  South Africa 1910, 1910, 1910