Dai Westacott
| Birth name | David Westacott | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 10 October 1882 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Grangetown, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 28 August 1917 (aged 34) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Zonnebeke, Belgium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Grangetown National School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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David "Dai" Westacott (10 October 1882 – 28 August 1917)[1] was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff. Westacott played a single international game for Wales 8n (All Blacks) as part of the Glamorgan county team in 1905.
Rugby career
Westacott first came to note as a rugby player when he was selected for his school side, Grangetown National. In 1903 Westacott joined his city's premier rugby club, Cardiff. Westacott played seven seasons at Cardiff, turning out for 120 games for his club.
After competing in all 30 games of the 1904/05 season for Cardiff,
Despite the fact that Westacott was no longer part of the Wales team, he continued playing for Cardiff, and in 1908 was part of the senior XV to face the 1908 touring Australian team. The game ended in the Australian's biggest loss of the tour, with Cardiff winning 24–8. Westacott was at the centre of an on-pitch incident, after Australian lock Albert Burge, was sent off after 'brutally' kicking Westacott who was prone on the ground.[6] Westacott continued to play for Cardiff until the 1909/10 season.
Westacott's son, also David "Dai" Westacott, like his father, played for Cardiff RFC. Dai played 45 games for the Cardiff senior team during the seasons 1929 to 1932, though was never capped internationally.[7]
International matches played
Wales[8]
- Ireland 1906
Military career
With the outbreak of the First World War, Westacott joined the British Army. As a private he was posted to the Gloucestershire Regiment in the 61st Division. As part of the 144th Brigade, Westacott was part of a British advance on German positions at Springfield Farm on 27 August 1917. After taking the bunker positions around the farm, Westacott was killed in action the following day, and he is commemorated at Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke in Belgium.[9]
Bibliography
- Billot, John (1972). All Blacks in Wales. Ferndale: Ron Jones Publications.
- Davies, D.E. (1975). Cardiff Rugby Club, History and Statistics 1876–1975. Risca: The Starling Press. ISBN 0-9504421-0-0.
- Jenkins, John M.; et al. (1991). Who's Who of Welsh International Rugby Players. Wrexham: Bridge Books. ISBN 1-872424-10-4.
- Smith, David; Williams, Gareth (1980). Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-0766-3.
References
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