# Billy Trew > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Billy_Trew > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Billy_Trew.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Trew > Source revision: 1354347972 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Wales international rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use British English|date=October 2011}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Billy Trew | image = Billy Trew 1905.jpg | caption = Trew in his Wales jersey | birth_name = William James Trew | birth_date = {{birth date|1879|3|12|df=y}} | birth_place = [Swansea](/source/Swansea), [Wales](/source/Wales) | death_date = {{Death date and age|1926|8|20|1879|3|12|df=yes}} | death_place = Swansea, Wales | height = 173 cm | weight = 67.5 kg | position = [Centre](/source/Centre_(rugby_union)) | amatyears1 = | amatyears2 = 1905 | amatteam1 = [Swansea RFC](/source/Swansea_RFC) | amatteam2 = [Glamorgan County RFC](/source/Glamorgan_County_RFC) | ru_amclubcaps = | ru_amclubpoints = | ru_amupdate = | repteam1 = [Wales](/source/Wales_national_rugby_union_team){{cite web| url=http://www.swansearfc.co.uk/history_browser_view.php?image_id=449 |title=Swansea RFC: Player profiles |publisher=newportgwentdragons.com|year=2008}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} | repyears1 = 1900-1913 | repcaps1 = 29 | reppoints1 = 39 | ru_ntupdate = | coachteams1 = | coachyears1 = | ru_coachupdate = }} '''William James Trew''', better known as '''Billy Trew''' (12 March 1879 – 20 August 1926) was a [Welsh](/source/Wales) international [centre](/source/Centre_(rugby_union)), outside half and wing who played club rugby for [Swansea Rugby Football Club](/source/Swansea_RFC). He won 29 caps for [Wales](/source/Wales_national_rugby_union_team) and is seen as one of the key players of the first Golden Age of Welsh [rugby union](/source/rugby_union)Davies (2008), pg 886. == Early years == Billy Trew was born William James Trew on 12 March 1879.[https://www.wru.wales/player/?PlayGuid=WT804348 WRU player profiles] Much like legendary Welsh rugby captain [Arthur Gould](/source/Arthur_Gould_(rugby_union)) before him, Billy Trew was part of a sporting family. His two brothers, Harry and Bert both played for Swansea RFC. == Rugby career == ===Club history=== Trew's first match for Swansea was against [Penarth](/source/Penarth_RFC) on 8 October 1897 scoring a drop goal in the match,Smith (1980), pg 134. and very soon he was a permanent fixture in various positions behind the club's backs. He was made captain of Swansea for the 1906/07 season, a position he held for the next four season. After a year break when [Dicky Owen](/source/Dicky_Owen) took over the role,Smith (1980), pg 135. he took up the captaincy again for the 1912/13 season. He played for Swansea against the [All Blacks](/source/All_Blacks) in 1905 and captained the team in wins against the touring [Australia](/source/Australia_national_rugby_union_team) (1908) and [South Africa](/source/South_Africa_national_rugby_union_team) (1912) national sides. ===International career=== By 1900 Welsh fans began wondering how Trew, a player who had outscored all other club players with 33 tries during the 1898/99 season and 31 tries in the 1899/1900 season, had not been chosen to represent Wales. The [Welsh Rugby Union](/source/Welsh_Rugby_Union) finally gave Trew his international debut at the age of twenty in January 1900. His first cap was at left-wing in a win against [England](/source/England_national_rugby_union_team) a game in which he scored a try.''Prince Gwyn, Gwyn Nicholls and the First Golden Era of Welsh Rugby'', [David Parry-Jones](/source/David_Parry-Jones) (1999) pg70. {{ISBN|1-85411-262-7}} He would play for Wales a further 28 times, scoring 11 tries, one conversion and one drop goal. His final match for Wales was an 11–8 win over France in 1913. ===International matches played=== '''Wales'''Smith (1980), pg 472. *{{ru|AUS}} 1908 *{{ru|ENG}} 1900, 1901, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911 *{{ru|FRA}} 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1913 *{{ru|IRE}} 1900, 1908, 1909, 1911 *{{ru|SCO}} 1900, 1901, 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913 ===Captain of Wales=== Trew captained Wales fourteen times in 1889 and 1890. During his captaincy the national team only lost four matches and saw Wales collecting the [Triple Crown](/source/Triple_Crown_(rugby_union)) on three occasions. ==Later life and death== Trew's son, Billy Trew Jr, followed his father and played for Swansea RFC. Trew Jr also captained Swansea during the 1929/30 season before moving to England to play for Swinton. Billy Trew died on 20 August 1926, and was buried six days later at [Danygraig Cemetery](/source/Danygraig_Cemetery) in Swansea. Many local people lined the streets to pay their last respects. ==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=Davies |first=John |author2=Jenkins, Nigel |title=The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales |year=2008 |publisher=University of Wales Press |location=Cardiff |isbn=978-0-7083-1953-6}} ==References== {{Reflist}} {{s-start}} {{s-sports|ruc}} {{succession box|title=[Swansea RFC](/source/Swansea_RFC) captain|before=[Frank Gordon](/source/Frank_Gordon_(rugby_union))|after=[Dicky Owen](/source/Dicky_Owen)|years=1906-1911}} {{succession box|title=[Swansea RFC](/source/Swansea_RFC) captain|before=[Dicky Owen](/source/Dicky_Owen)|after=[David John Thomas](/source/David_John_Thomas)|years=1912-1913}} {{s-end}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Trew, Billy}} Category:1879 births Category:1926 deaths Category:20th-century Welsh sportsmen Category:Welsh rugby union players Category:Wales international rugby union players Category:Rugby union centres Category:Rugby union players from Swansea Category:Wales rugby union captains Category:Swansea RFC players Category:Glamorgan County RFC players --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Billy Trew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Trew) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Trew?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.