Dai John

For other people named David John, see David John (disambiguation).

W. David John
Personal information
Full nameDavid John
BornWales
Diedunknown
Playing information
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight70 kg (150 lb; 11 st 0 lb)
Rugby union
PositionHalf-back
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≤1906–≤06 Penygraig RFC
Rugby league
PositionFullback, Stand-off
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≤1906–≥13 Salford
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1913 Wales 1
Source: [1]

W. David "Dai" John (birth unknown – death unknown) was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s and 1910s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Penygraig RFC, as a half-back, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales, and at club level for Salford, as a fullback or stand-off.[1][2]

Playing career

International honours

Dai John won a cap for Wales (RU) while at Salford in 1913.[1]

Championship final appearances

During Dai John's time there was Salford's 5-3 victory over Huddersfield in the Championship Final during the 1913–14 season.

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Dai John played stand-off in Salford's 0-5 defeat by Bradford F.C. in the 1906 Challenge Cup Final during the 1905–06 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 28 April 1906.[3]

Club career

Dai John originally played rugby union, turning out at half-back for Penygraig RFC in the Rhondda.[4] While still a teenager he switched codes to rugby league.[4] John was considered a "Probable" for the 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, but ultimately he was not selected for the tour.[5] Writing at the time in the Evening Express, their rugby league correspondent suggested that it was John's height, standing at 5 foot 3 inches, that cost him his place.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. ^ Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  3. ^ Irvin Saxton (publish date tbc) "History of Rugby League – № 11 – 1905–06". Rugby Leaguer ISBN n/a
  4. ^ a b c "Welshmen Up North – Mystery of Dai Furnish". newspapers.library.wales. 10 September 1910. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Northern Union – The Colonial Football Tour – Probable Players". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.