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Oliver Morris
Personal information
Full name	Oliver James Morris
Born	fourth ¼ 1916; Llanelli district, Wales
Died	20 September 1944 (aged 27); Gothic Line, Fascist Italy
Playing information
Weight	9 st 5 lb (59 kg)
Rugby union
Position	Fly-half
Club
Rugby league
Position	Stand-off
Club
Representative
	Source:
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Years of service	1939-44
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit	Welch Regiment
Battles / wars	World War II

Oliver James Morris (fourth ¼ 1916^[2] – 20 September 1944) was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Llanelli RFC and Pontypridd RFC, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales, and at club level for Hunslet, Castleford (as a wartime guest) and Leeds, as a stand-off.^[1]

Background

Oliver James Morris' birth was registered in Llanelli district, Wales. He was a sergeant major, later a lieutenant, in the British Army (1st battalion of the Welch Regiment (note archaic spelling)) during World War II,^[3] and he was killed aged 27 in Northern Italy, whilst fighting on the Gothic Line, during the Italian Campaign.^[4]

Rugby Union

Morris started his Rugby union career with Llanelli RFC but became a key part of the Pontypridd RFC team in the mid-to-late 1930s as their Fly-half. Morris became the first player from the Pontypridd club to ‘go north’ in November 1937. Weighing just nine and a half stones, there was great doubts about his ability to make it in professional rugby league.^[5]

Rugby League

International honours

Oliver Morris won 5 caps for Wales (RL) in 1938–1941 while at Hunslet, and Leeds.^[1]^[6]

Championship final appearances

Oliver Morris played stand-off in Hunslet's 8–2 victory over Leeds in the Championship Final during the 1937–38 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Saturday 30 April 1938.^[7]

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Oliver Morris played stand-off in Leeds' 19–2 victory over Halifax in the 1940–41 Challenge Cup Final during the 1940–41 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford, in front of a crowd of 28,500, and played stand-off in the 15–10 victory over Halifax in the 1941–42 Challenge Cup Final during the 1941–42 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford, in front of a crowd of 15,250.^[8]

Other notable matches

Oliver Morris played stand-off for Northern Command XIII against a Rugby League XIII at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 21 March 1942.^[3]

Club career

Oliver Morris made his début for Leeds against Broughton Rangers at The Cliff, Broughton, Salford on Saturday 26 August 1939.

Death

During the war, Morris became a Lieutenant in the Welch Regiment, and was killed in Italy on 21 September 1944 aged twenty-seven.^[5]^[9]

Genealogical information

Oliver Morris' marriage to Muriel M. (née Walker) was registered during fourth ¼ 1941 in Leeds district.^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
^ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
^ ^a ^b "inside programme, Northern Command v. A Rugby League XIII, 1942". rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
^ "True Heroes Remembered". therhinos.co.uk. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 14 January 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
^ ^a ^b Granfield, Alun (18 October 2020). "Going North, Coming South - The Rugby League Connection". Ponty.Net. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
^ Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
^ "Club History, Facts and Figures". Yorkshire Evening Post. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
^ "History of Leeds Rugby League Club". britishrugbyleague.blogspot.co.uk. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
^ CWGC entry
^ "Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.