{{Infobox rugby biography | name = Jack Whitfield | image = | caption = | birth_name = John James Whitfield | birth_place = Newport,<ref>[http://www.blackandambers.co.uk/Personnel.aspx?pr=107461 Newport RFC player profiles] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617042455/http://www.blackandambers.co.uk/Personnel.aspx?pr=107461 |date=2011-06-17 }}</ref> Monmouthshire | death_place = Newport, Monmouthshire | height = 5 ft 11 in <ref name="Smith205">Smith (1980), pg 205.</ref> | weight = 13 st 8 lb | position = Hooker | amatyears1 = ?-1919 | amatyears2 = 1920-1926 | amatteam1 = Pill Harriers RFC | amatteam2 = Newport RFC | amatteam3 = Monmouthshire | ru_amclubcaps = | ru_amclubpoints = | ru_amupdate = | repteam1 = Wales<ref>[https://archive.today/20110526145431/http://www.wru.co.uk/12750_14256.php?player=26392&includeref=dynamic WRU player profiles]</ref> | repyears1 = 1919–1924 | repcaps1 = 12 | reppoints1 = 15 | ru_ntupdate = | coachteams1 = | coachyears1 = | ru_coachupdate = | occupation = Fitter<br>publican | birth_date = {{Birth date|1892|03|23|df=yes}} | death_date = {{death date and age|1927|12|26|1892|03|23|df=yes}} }}
'''Jack Whitfield''' (23 March 1892 – 26 December 1927) was a Welsh international rugby union hooker who played club rugby for Newport and club rugby for Monmouthshire. He was an extremely powerful scrummager, but was not seen as skillful as the pre-war players produced by Wales.<ref name="Smith211">Smith (1980), pg 211.</ref>
==Rugby career== As a fitter in the Newport Docks, local dock team Pill Harriers was a natural choice to take on the front row skills of Whitfield. The Harriers, although seen as a lower league team, provided many Welsh players, especially front row hardmen like Whitfield. In 1919 he was selected for the Wales to face the touring New Zealand Services team. Over the next five years, now as a member of the Newport club, Whitfield was capped for Wales on 12 occasions and scored his first try on the 13 March 1920 against Ireland. In the 1922 Five Nations Championship, Whitfield was the leading try scorer of the tournament with four tries one against England and France, and two against Ireland. In the 1924 Championship, in a game against Scotland, Whitfield was given the captaincy for Wales. Wales lost the match heavily, with Scotland running in eight tries, it was Whitfield's only time as captain.
He died on Boxing Day 1927 at the Royal Gwent Hospital after a gastric ulcer operation.
''International matches played'' ''Wales''<ref name="Smith473">Smith (1980), pg 473.</ref> * {{ru|ENG}} 1920, 1921, 1922 * {{ru|FRA}} 1920, 1922 * {{ru|IRE}} 1920, 1922, 1924 * {{ru|NZL}} New Zealand Services 1919 * {{ru|SCO}} 1920, 1922, 1924
==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 }}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitfield, Jack}} Category:1892 births Category:1927 deaths Category:Welsh rugby union players Category:Wales international rugby union players Category:Rugby union hookers Category:Wales rugby union captains Category:Rugby union players from Newport, Wales Category:Newport RFC players Category:Monmouthshire County RFC players Category:Pill Harriers RFC players Category:20th-century Welsh sportsmen