1908 Home Nations Championship

The 1908 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-sixth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 18 January and 21 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

1908 Home Nations Championship
Date18 January - 21 March 1908
Countries England
 Ireland
 Scotland
 Wales
Tournament statistics
Champions Wales (5th title)
Grand Slam Wales (1st Title)
Triple Crown Wales (5th Title)
Matches played6
Top point scorer(s)Scotland MacLeod (14)
Top try scorer(s)England Birkett (3)
Scotland MacLeod (3)
Wales Williams (3)
1907 (Previous) (Next) 1909

Although not officially part of the tournament until 1910, matches were arranged with the French national team which were played during the Championship. During the 1908 Championship, two Home Nations faced France, England and Wales. As Wales beat all three Home Nation opponents and France, they not only took the Triple Crown but were the winners of the Championship's first Grand Slam.

Table

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1   Wales 3 3 0 0 45 28 +17 6
2   Scotland 3 1 0 2 32 32 0 2
2   England 3 1 0 2 41 47 −6 2
2   Ireland 3 1 0 2 24 35 −11 2
Source: [citation needed]

Scoring system

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The matches for this season were decided on points scored. A try was worth three points, while converting a kicked goal from the try gave an additional two points. A dropped goal was worth four points, while a goal from mark and penalty goals were worth three points.

Results

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18 January 1908
  Wales28–18  England
Bristol
1 February 1908
  Wales6–5  Scotland
Swansea
8 February 1908
England  13–3  Ireland
Richmond
29 February 1908
Ireland  16–11  Scotland
Dublin
14 March 1908
Ireland  5–11  Wales
Belfast
21 March 1908
Scotland  16–10  England
Edinburgh

Additional matches outside the Championship

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1 January 1908
France  0–19  England
Paris
2 March 1908
  Wales36–4  France
Cardiff

The matches

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England vs. Wales

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18 January 1908
  England18 – 28  Wales
Try: Birkett (2)
Lapage
Williamson
Con: Wood (2)
Roberts
Try: Gabe (2)
Bush
Gibbs
Trew
Con: Winfield (2)
Bush
Drop: Bush
Pen: Winfield
Ashton Gate, Bristol
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: John Tulloch (Scotland)

England: AE Wood (Gloucester), WN Lapage (United Services), JGG Birkett (Harlequins) capt., D Lambert (Harlequins), A Hudson (Gloucester), J Peters (Plymouth), RH Williamson (Oxford University), R Gilbert (Devonport Albion), F Boylen (Hartlepool Rovers), GD Roberts (Harlequins), CEL Hammond (Harlequins), LAN Slocock (Liverpool), WA Mills (Devonport Albion), H Havelock (Hartlepool Rovers), Robert Dibble (Bridgwater & Albion)

Wales: Bert Winfield (Cardiff), Johnnie Williams (Cardiff), Billy Trew (Swansea), Rhys Gabe (Cardiff), Reggie Gibbs (Cardiff), Percy Bush (Cardiff), Tommy Vile (Newport), James Watts (Llanelli), George Travers (Pill Harriers), Charlie Pritchard (Newport), John Alf Brown (Cardiff), Billy O'Neill (Cardiff), Jim Webb (Abertillery), William Dowell (Newport), Arthur Harding (Swansea) capt.


Wales vs. Scotland

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1 February 1908
  Wales6 – 5  Scotland
Try: Trew
Williams
Try: Purves
Con: Geddes
St. Helen's Swansea
Referee: W Williams (England)

Wales: Bert Winfield (Cardiff), Johnnie Williams (Cardiff), Billy Trew (Swansea), Rhys Gabe (Cardiff), Reggie Gibbs (Cardiff), Percy Bush (Cardiff), Tommy Vile (Newport), James Watts (Llanelli), George Travers (Pill Harriers) capt., George Hayward (Swansea), John Alf Brown (Cardiff), Billy O'Neill (Cardiff), Jim Webb (Abertillery), William Dowell (Newport), Arthur Harding (Swansea)

Scotland: DG Schulze (Royal Navy College, Dartmouth), T Sloan (London Scottish), H Martin (Oxford University), MW Walter (London Scottish), ABHL Purves (London Scottish), LL Greig (US Portsmouth) capt., George Cunningham (Oxford University), IC Geddes (London Scottish), JA Brown (Glasgow Acads), GM Frew (Glasgow HSFP), JC MacCallum (Watsonians), LM Speirs (Watsonians), GC Gowlland (London Scottish), Bedell-Sivright (Edinburgh University), JMB Scott (Edinburgh Acads.)


England vs. Ireland

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8 February 1908
  England13 – 3  Ireland
Try: Hudson (2)
Williamson
Con: Wood (2)
Pen: Parke
Athletic Ground Richmond
Referee: TD Schofield (Wales)

England: AE Wood (Gloucester), WN Lapage (United Services), JGG Birkett (Harlequins), Henry Vassall (Oxford University), A Hudson (Gloucester), GV Portus (Blackheath), RH Williamson (Oxford University), R Gilbert (Devonport Albion), F Boylen (Hartlepool Rovers), TS Kelly (Exeter), CEL Hammond (Harlequins) capt., LAN Slocock (Liverpool), John Hopley (Blackheath), H Havelock (Hartlepool Rovers), Robert Dibble (Bridgwater & Albion)

Ireland: WP Hinton (Old Wesley), GGP Beckett (Dublin University), C Thompson (Belfast Collegians), James Cecil Parke (Dublin University), HB Thrift (Dublin University) capt., Herbert Aston (Dublin University), FNB Smartt (Dublin University), Bethel Solomons (Dublin University), Tommy Smyth (Malone), C Adams (Old Wesley), A Tedford (Malone), HG Wilson (Malone), E McG Morphy (Dublin University), TG Harpur (Dublin University), George Hamlet (Old Wesley)


Ireland vs. Scotland

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29 February 1908
  Ireland16 – 11  Scotland
Try: Thrift (2)
Thompson
Beckett
Con: Parke
Hinton
Try: MacLeod
Martin
Con: MacLeod
Pen: MacLeod
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Referee: W Williams (England)

Ireland: WP Hinton (Old Wesley), GGP Beckett (Dublin University), C Thompson (Belfast Collegians), James Cecil Parke (Dublin University) capt., HB Thrift (Dublin University), ED Caddell (Wanderers), FNB Smartt (Dublin University), Bethel Solomons (Dublin University), Tommy Smyth (Malone), F Gardiner (NIFC), A Tedford (Malone), HG Wilson (Malone), EHJ Knox (Lansdowne), TG Harpur (Dublin University), George Hamlet (Old Wesley)

Scotland: DG Schulze (Royal Navy College, Dartmouth), KG McLeod (Cambridge University), H Martin (Oxford University), MW Walter (London Scottish), ABHL Purves (London Scottish), LL Greig (US Portsmouth) capt., George Cunningham (Oxford University), JS Wilson (London Scottish), JA Brown (Glasgow Acads), GM Frew (Glasgow HSFP), JC MacCallum (Watsonians), LM Speirs (Watsonians), GA Sanderson (Royal HSFP), Bedell-Sivright (Edinburgh University), JMB Scott (Edinburgh Acads.)


Ireland vs. Wales

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14 March 1908
  Ireland5 – 11  Wales
Try: Aston
Con: Parke
Try: Williams (2)
Gibbs
Con: Winfield
Balmoral Showgrounds, Belfast
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: JD Dallas (Scotland)

Ireland: WP Hinton (Old Wesley), GGP Beckett (Dublin University), C Thompson (Belfast Collegians), James Cecil Parke (Dublin University) capt., HB Thrift (Dublin University), ED Caddell (Wanderers), Herbert Aston (Dublin University), Bethel Solomons (Dublin University), Tommy Smyth (Malone), F Gardiner (NIFC), A Tedford (Malone), HG Wilson (Malone), JJ Coffey (Lansdowne), TG Harpur (Dublin University), George Hamlet (Old Wesley)

Wales: Bert Winfield (Cardiff) capt., Johnnie Williams (Cardiff), Billy Trew (Swansea), Rhys Gabe (Cardiff), Reggie Gibbs (Cardiff), Dick Jones (Swansea), Dicky Owen (Swansea), James Watts (Llanelli), George Travers (Pill Harriers), George Hayward (Swansea), Tom Evans (Llanelli), Billy O'Neill (Cardiff), Jim Webb (Abertillery), William Dowell (Newport), Dick Thomas (Mountain Ash)


Scotland vs. England

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21 March 1908
  Scotland16 – 10  England
Try: MacLeod (2)
Con: Geddes
Drop: Purves
Schulze
Try: Birkett
Slocock
Con: Lambert (2)
Inverleith, Edinburgh
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: HH Corley (Ireland)

Scotland: DG Schulze (Royal Navy College, Dartmouth), KG McLeod (Cambridge University), H Martin (Oxford University), CM Gilray (London Scottish), ABHL Purves (London Scottish), AL Wade (London Scottish), J Robertson (Clydesdale), IC Geddes (London Scottish) capt., AL Robertson (London Scottish), GM Frew (Glasgow HSFP), JC MacCallum (Watsonians), LM Speirs (Watsonians), HG Monteith (London Scottish), WE Kyle (Hawick), JMB Scott (Edinburgh Acads.)

England: GH D'O Lyon (US Portsmouth), D Lambert (Harlequins), JGG Birkett (Harlequins), WN Lapage (United Services), A Hudson (Gloucester), J Davey (Redruth), RH Williamson (Oxford University), R Gilbert (Devonport Albion), F Boylen (Hartlepool Rovers), TS Kelly (Exeter), Tommy Woods (Bridgwater & Albion), LAN Slocock (Liverpool) capt., WL Oldham (Coventry), FB Watson (US Portsmouth), Robert Dibble (Bridgwater & Albion)

French matches

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France vs. England

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1 January 1908
  France0 – 19  England
Try: Birkett
Lambert
Lapage
Mills
Portus
Con: Roberts (2)
Stade Colombes, Paris
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: CF Rutherford (Scotland)

France: H Issac (Racing Club de France), C Varseilles (Stade Français), R Sagot (Stade Français), E Lesieur (Stade Français), Gaston Lane (Racing Club de France), A Hubert (Association Sportive Français), A Mayssonnie (Toulouse), G Borchard (Racing Club de France, P Guillemin (Racing Club de France), P Mauriat (Lyon), H Moure (Universite de France), R de Malmann (Racing Club de France), Marcel Communeau (Stade Français) capt., C Beaurin (Stade Français), R Duval (Racing Club de France)

England: AE Wood (Gloucester), WN Lapage (United Services), JGG Birkett (Harlequins), D Lambert (Harlequins), A Hudson (Gloucester), GV Portus (Blackheath), HJH Sibree (Harlequins), EL Chambers (Bedford), F Boylen (Hartlepool Rovers), GD Roberts (Harlequins), TS Kelly (Exeter) capt., LAN Slocock (Liverpool), WA Mills (Devonport Albion), H Havelock (Hartlepool Rovers), Robert Dibble (Bridgwater & Albion)


Wales vs. France

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2 March 1908
  Wales36 – 4  France
Try: Morgan (2)
Trew (2)
Gibbs (4)
Con: Winfield (2)
Gibbs
Pen: Winfield
Drop: Vareilles
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: W Williams (England)

Wales: Bert Winfield (Cardiff), Teddy Morgan (London Welsh) capt., Billy Trew (Swansea), Rhys Gabe (Cardiff), Reggie Gibbs (Cardiff), Dick Jones (Swansea), Dicky Owen (Swansea), James Watts (Llanelli), George Travers (Pill Harriers), George Hayward (Swansea), John Alf Brown (Cardiff), Billy O'Neill (Cardiff), Jim Webb (Abertillery), William Dowell (Newport), Dick Thomas (Mountain Ash)

France: H Martin (Stade Bordelais Universitaire), C Varseilles (Stade Français), Maurice Leuvielle (Stade Bordelais), E Lesieur (Stade Français), Gaston Lane (Racing Club de France), A Hubert (Association Sportive Français), A Mayssonnie (Toulouse), A Masse (Stade Bordelais Universitaire), P Guillemin (Racing Club de France), P Mauriat (Lyon), A Branlat (Racing Club de France), R de Malmann (Racing Club de France), Marcel Communeau (Stade Français) capt., J Dufourcq (Stade Bordelais Universitaire), R Duval (Racing Club de France)

Bibliography

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  • Godwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883-1983. London: Willows Books. ISBN 0-00-218060-X.
  • Griffiths, John (1982). The Book of English International Rugby 1872-1982. London: Willow Books. ISBN 0002180065.
  • Griffiths, John (1987). The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records. London: Phoenix House. ISBN 0-460-07003-7.
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