Percy Bush

Percy Frank Bush

Bush in his Cardiff jersey
Date of birth	23 June 1879
Place of birth	Cardiff, Wales
Date of death	19 May 1955 (aged 75)
Place of death	Cardiff, Wales
University	University College, Cardiff
Occupation(s)	School teacher
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Fly-half, half-back
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
? ? ? 1899–1913 ? 1910 ?	Cardiff Romilly University College Cardiff Penygraig RFC Cardiff RFC London Welsh RFC Stade Nantais Glamorgan
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1904 1905–1910	British Isles Wales	4 8	(20) (20)
correct as of 2007-07-27.

Percy Frank Bush (23 June 1879 – 19 May 1955)^[1] was a Welsh rugby union player who played international rugby for Wales on eight occasions. Playing at fly-half, Bush is regarded as one of the most talented Welsh players of the pre-First World War era.^[2]

Rugby career

Bush played most of his career for Cardiff RFC making 171 appearances and scoring 66 tries between 1899 and 1913. He captained the club for three seasons. He won eight caps^[3] for Wales (1905–1910), including for the famous 1905 victory over New Zealand. He also played in four tests for the 1904 British Isles on their tour to Australia and New Zealand. This was before he had been capped by Wales. He was the undoubted star of the tour, being dubbed 'Will o' the Wisp' by the Australian press for his devastating play.^[4]

Cricket career

Bush also played county cricket for Glamorgan County Cricket Club and Marylebone Cricket Club.^[5] He played in three Minor Counties Cricket Championship matches between 1900 and 1903, all for Glamorgan. His first Minor Counties match was at St Helens against Wiltshire in 1900. Bush scored just 5 runs in his first innings, but his Glamorgan team won the match before he was required in the second innings. Bush failed to improve in his second match, played against Berkshire at the Cardiff Arms Park in 1902; scoring a single run in his only innings. Despite this Glamorgan won by an innings and ten runs. His final encounter for Glamorgan, was against a Surrey Second XI in 1903. Glamorgan lost the match by 61 runs, and Bush failed to enhance his record with 6 runs over two innings.

References

1. "Percy Bush". scrum.com. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
2. "BUSH Percy Frank – Born Cardiff, 23 June 1879; died Cardiff 19 May 1955". rugbyrelics.com. Retrieved 27 July 2007.
3. Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881–1981, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp464 ISBN 0-7083-0766-3
4. 'Cardiff Sporting Greats', Andrew Hignell and Gwyn Prescott (2007) pp62-63 ISBN 978-0-7524-4286-0
5. Percy Bush cricket statistics cricketarchive.com

External links

• Williams, Gareth. "BUSH, PERCY FRANK". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 27 July 2007.
• Humbert, Frederic (1 June 2007). "Percy Bush, from Cardiff to Nantes...". rugby-pioneers.blogs.com. Retrieved 27 July 2007.
• "86th All Black Game". rugbymuseum.co.nz. Retrieved 27 July 2007.
• "WALES' GRAND SLAM HISTORY". wru.co.uk. 21 March 2005. Retrieved 27 July 2007.
• "7th All Black Test: 83rd All Black Game". stats.allblacks.com. Retrieved 27 July 2007.
• "Percy Bush". Glamorgan Cricket Archive. Retrieved 28 December 2008.