Ossie Male

Ossie Male (31 December 1893 – 23 February 1975)^[2] was a Welsh international full back who played club rugby for Cardiff and was capped 11 times for Wales and captained his country on three occasions. In 1924, Male was at the centre of an embarrassing decision made by the Welsh Rugby Union that prevented him facing the French rugby team. Male was one of six siblings and was the youngest boy.

Rugby career

When Male was first capped for his country, he was playing for Cross Keys. He turned out in the Welsh side that beat France at the Cardiff Arms Park on 26 February 1921, but the presence of Swansea's Joe Rees and Mountain Ash's Fred Samuel kept him out of the Wales team until 1923.^[3] Male was chosen for one game in the 1923 Five Nations Championship while at Pontypool and after moving to Cardiff, two games in the 1924 tournament; including the disastrous 1924 game against Scotland. Even though Male scored two conversions in the match, Wales were overrun as Scotland scored eight tries.

In 1924 Male was en route for the final game of that year's Five Nations Championship when he was involved in an embarrassing situation regarding the Welsh selection process. The Welsh team were travelling to France by train, via London, when the Welsh Rugby Union selection committee emerged from their carriage and announced that Male was to be suspended and would leave the party at Paddington. The reason for the WRU's decision was that Male had played for Cardiff within six days of the international game, breaking WRU rules. The fact that the WRU had waited until they were travelling was heavily criticised, not only to spare Male, but because the team now had to play out of position, with Penarth's Melville Rosser being pushed into the full back position, and Swansea's Joe Jones coming into three-quarters.^[3]

In 1927, Male was back in favour and back in the Welsh squad after Tommy Rees of London Welsh broke his leg at the end of 1926.^[4] Male played the entire 1927 Five Nations Championship, captaining Wales against Scotland, and in 1928, although missing the England game, he was back for the final three games of the tournament captaining Wales in two of the games. The final game was against France, and Wales lost against the French for the first time in their history. The defeat was made all the worse as French played threequarters of the game without Andre Camel.^[5] Male never played for Wales again.

International matches played

Wales^[6]

•  England 1927
•  France 1921, 1927, 1928
•  Ireland 1924, 1927, 1928
•  Scotland 1923, 1924, 1927, 1928

Family

Male was one of six siblings and was the youngest boy. He married his wife, Muriel Male at a young age. The couple had only one daughter, Muriel Patricia Male (Pat) in late October 1928. Patricia went on to become a teacher, and later married Frank Emery (1930–1987), fellow professor and author of The Red Soldier. The couple had two daughters, Susan Elisabeth Emery (1961) and Caroline Mary Emery (1966).

Bibliography

• Billot, John (1974). Springboks in Wales. Ferndale: Ron Jones Publications. 
• Goodwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883-1983. London: Willows Books. ISBN 0-00-218060-X. 
• 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