1882 to 1883

There appears to have been no regular reporter at these early games. As with Junior Rugby, it was up to the team officials to send in their results and match reports in time for the print deadline. The Bath Argus contained frequent reminders to this effect.

Consequently, there are reporting gaps.

1882-83

14/10/1882

v Weston-super –Mare, Away. First match of the season lost by 1goal, 1 try and 1 touch down to 3 goals 3 tries and 2 touch downs. For Bath, Jacobs collared grandly; Hill was very fast, but he was too well watched by Barley after his first score to become very dangerous; G Helps and Trask also played well behind, while Menzies and McClorg worked capitally forward.

The Bath Herald 16th October 1882, reported on Saturday’s match between Oldfield Park and Grosvenor F C., which Oldfield won by a goal, two tries and one touch down to Grosvenor’s one goal and a touch down. Several Bath players were involved and it would appear that players were ready to turn out for any club to get a game of rugby.

Oldfield Park:- A Humphries, back; G Herman and W Tarrant, three-quarter backs; Hart, flying man; D Hoskin and R Bolton, half-backs; C Banks, – Crook, A Eyres, H Humphries, L Knight, Morgan, Frank Soane, Watkins and C Wigg, forwards.

Grosvenor:- L O’Donoghue, back; Booker and Parham, three-quarter backs; H Edwards and Norton, half-backs; Basevi, Clarke, G Dawson, F Holloway, F Reilly, F Widdicombe and three others, forwards.

2/11/1882

v Bath College, (Thursday). Away. Won by 1 goal, 2 tries to nil. Team:- O’Donoghue (back), H S Edwards, H Walters (three-quarter), F Edwards, Parham (half), E A McLorg (captain), Uniache, J Maule, H Spurway, Chandler, Vigne, Fosberry, Taylor and Barlow (forwards).

Despite the senior team being one man short, Bath’s superior weight was too much for the College boys.

H S Edwards scored two tries and Donoghue converted one.

Bath Herald 16th November 1882 reported:- Grosvenor beat Hermitage 2nd XV on the 15th November. Weekes, L O’Donoghue, Norton, Widdicombe, A O’Donoghue, Besevi, Soane, A Doveton, Abbot, A Hooloway, Combes and Ealand turned out for Grosvenor. (Grosvenor were three men short.)

18/11/1882

v Bridgwater, Away. Lost to Bridgwater “Dreadnoughts” by two goals. Bath played four men short, and had to touch-down several times in self-defence.

22/11/1882

v Weston-super-Mare (Weds.) Home. Won by one try to a disputed try. Team:- L O’Donoghue (back), H S Jacobs, W M Barham and J Trask (three-quarter backs), G C Helps and H Uniacke (half-backs), A K Cunninghame, F Edwards, P W Menzies, Y M Maule, J Clarke, G Hemming, P Fosbery, L Chandler and H Vigne (forwards). “After some excellent forward play by H Smith, Handy and Dyer, Douglas made a short run and being collared by Uniacke, G C Helps made a pretty run and dribble, and dribble, and the ball getting near the Weston goal line, Parham(Bath) picked it up very neatly and got a try.” Helps, Trask and Menzies were conspicuous for Bath.

2/12/1882

v Gloucester, Away. Lost 0-12 (3 goals, 3 tries) Gloucester’s tries scored by H Coates (3), H Boughton, Sloman and Dewey. The goals were kicked by Boughton, Jones and Berry.

26/12/1882

v Kensington (London) FC, on Boxing Day at Lambridge. This was the second game with this London Club. The previous year Kensington had won by a try.

Spoilt by bad weather and a flooded pitch. Team: H S Jacob (Capt.) back, F J Hill, R A Glass, J F Trask (three-quarter backs), H Uniacke, W M Parham (half-backs), H G Fuller, E A McLorg, A K Cunninghame, W Lysaght, P W Menzies, J M Maule, A S Ogilvie, B Chandler and H C Helps (forwards).

Result was disputed – Kensington claimed a win by 1 goal, 1 try to 1 try. Kensington were originally given a try although the umpires were unsighted, due to encroachment on to the pitch. At ‘no-side’ the match was declared as drawn. Fuller, Lysaght, Ogilvie and Cunninghame played well.

Letters : To the EDITOR of the BATH CHRONICLE.

“SIR – I have seen a report of our match with Bath on Boxing Day, in your paper in which the result is incorrectly given as a draw. It was a win for us by one goal and one try, to one try. This result has been admitted by all the members of the Bath team that I have spoken to since and during the match, notably H.G.Fuller, E McLorg.” R.James, Hon. Sec. K.F.C., 5 Harley-gardens, South Kensington; Jan.2nd, 1883.

“SIR, – Allow me to call attention to the report of this important match which appeared in your issue of 28th.ult. You seem to have been misled by the patrons of the home team inasmuch as the report says, ‘then the Kensington forwards… rushed the ball down the ground and claimed a try close to the Bath goal, which was disrupted by Bath; the umpires being unable to give a decision as they were not able to see owing to the spectators encroaching, Kensington kicked the goal successfully under protest.’ If the umpires were unable to give a decision, Bath were unable legally to dispute the try, therefore the visitors were clearly the winners by one goal and one try, to one try.” Jan.2nd, 1883 AN ONLOOKER

24/2/1883

v Clifton, Home. Lost 1 goal to 1 goal and 2 tries. Bath team: J W Gillett (back), F J Hill, L A O’Donoghue, H S Jacob (Capt.) (three-quarter backs), H Euniacke, F Prothero (half-backs), A K Cunninghame, W H Lysaght, E A McLorg, E Broadhurst, F Edwards, N Clarke, B Bampfylde, L Chandler and C Sillery (forwards)

“Jacob won the toss, and Ball kicked off, the first few scrimmages being formed in the middle of the ground; a good dribble by the Clifton forwards, headed by Hirst, Leonard, and Baker, then took the ball in dangerous proximity to the Bath goal, and out of a loose scrimmage Waterfield gained a try, the place (a difficult one) by Miller being unsuccessful. After the kick out, Bath played up hard, and a good run by Hill took the ball into the Clifton 25, from whence it was worked back into the centre of the ground by a pretty bit of passing. Hill then tried several times to get away, but he was brought down each time by Waterfield, and at half time the ball was in neutral territory. On resuming, Euniacke and Hill, for Bath, and Duckworth and Waterfield for Clifton, made good runs, the latter eventually getting well away and planting the leather behind the posts, from which Miller kicked a goal. Shortly afterwards some good passing by the Bath forwards enabled Protheroe to obtain a try, from which Jacob kicked a goal. Good play on both sides followed, and Waterfield, , by a splendid run, added another try to the score. Clifton thus won by a goal and two tries to a goal; Waterfield at half-back played magnificently, while the forwards, Baker Leonard, and Strachan were most conspicuous; for the losers, Hill and Euniacke (behind) and McLorg (forward) were most prominent.”