{{Short description|Wales international rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}} {{Use British English|date=September 2016}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Alfred "Bobby" Brice | image = Alfred Brice.jpg | caption = Brice in Welsh jersey | birth_name = Alfred Bailey Brice | birth_date = {{birth date|1871|9|23|df=y}} | birth_place = Weare, Somerset, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|1938|05|28|1871|9|23|df=yes}} | death_place = Port Talbot, Wales | height = {{convert|179|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|89|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} | position = Forward | amatyears1 = ≤1897-1903 | amatyears2 = 1903-1909 | amatyears3 = 1897-? | amatyears4 = | amatyears5 = 1909 | amatteam1 = Ogmore Vale RFC | amatteam2 = Aberavon RFC | amatteam3 = Cardiff RFC | amatteam4 = Glamorgan Police RFC | amatteam5 = Somerset | amatteam6 = Leicester Tigers | amatapps1 = | amatapps2 = | amatapps3 = | amatapps4 = | amatapps5 = 2 | ru_amclubpoints = | ru_amupdate = | repteam1 = Wales | repyears1 = 1899-1904 | repcaps1 = 18 | reppoints1 = 8 | ru_ntupdate = | occupation = policeman<ref name="Smith115">Smith (1980), pg 115.</ref> | school = Tynewydd Junior School, 1873-1874 }}
'''Alfred "Bobby" Brice''' (21 September 1871 – 28 May 1938)<ref>[http://www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/player/1310.html Alfred Brice player profile] Scrum.com</ref> was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Ogmore Vale, Aberavon and Cardiff. A three times Triple Crown winner, Brice was known for his tough and aggressive tackling play.<ref name="Thomas25">Thomas (1979), pg 25.</ref>
Brice was one of several 'Valley forwards' who was chosen to represent his country at the turn of the century. Although he began his international career with Aberavon, a club he would captain from 1901 to 1903;<ref name="Thomas25"/> he would later play for Cardiff.
==Rugby career== Brice was first capped for Wales in a home game at St Helens in 1899 against England; though it would be the final match of the tournament against Ireland in which Brice showed his worth to the Welsh squad. After Billy Bancroft was injured after being thrown into the crowd, the Welsh were a man down to a highly motivated Irish team. Brice tackled well and covered the loose ball in a match that was disturbed by constant pitch invasions.<ref name="Thomas25"/> Although Wales lost by a solitary try it showed a strong defence that would serve Wales well as they entered their first 'Golden Era'. Brice played every match in the six consecutive Home Nations tournaments.
Although Brice was normally known for keeping his cool under pressure, in the 1904 match against Ireland he was reported for calling the referee, a 'thundering idiot',<ref name="Thomas25"/> though it is believed his actual language was worse than that on the report. The WFU demanded that Brice apologise to Findaly, the referee, but Brice refused stating that he never used the language.<ref name="Smith122">Smith (1980), pg 122.</ref> Brice was suspended from the game for eight months and never played for Wales again.
In 1909 he played two games for Leicester Tigers, against Headingley and Hartlepool Rovers on 1 and 2 January.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Farmer|first1=Stuart|last2=Hands|first2=David|title=Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club|publisher=The Rugby DevelopmentFoundation|isbn=978-0-9930213-0-5|page=65}}</ref>
===International matches played=== '''Wales'''<ref name="Smith464">Smith (1980), pg 464.</ref> * {{ru|ENG}} 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904 * {{ru|IRE}} 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904 * {{ru|SCO}} 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904
==Bibliography== * {{cite book |last=Smith |first=David |author2=Williams, Gareth |title=Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union |year=1980 |publisher=University of Wales Press |location=Cardiff |isbn=0-7083-0766-3 }} * {{cite book |last=Thomas |first=Wayne |title=A Century of Welsh Rugby Players |year=1979 |publisher=Ansells Ltd}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brice, Alfred}} Category:1871 births Category:1938 deaths Category:Aberavon RFC players Category:British police officers Category:Cardiff RFC players Category:English rugby union players Category:Glamorgan Police RFC players Category:People from Sedgemoor (district) Category:Rugby union forwards Category:Wales international rugby union players Category:Welsh rugby union players Category:Leicester Tigers players Category:Rugby union players from Somerset