Ike Owens

Isaac "Ike" Andrew Owens AFM (7 November 1918 – 15 October 1998)[2] was a Welsh rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Blaengarw RFC (in Blaengarw, Bridgend), and Maesteg RFC, and armed forces rugby union for the Royal Air Force, as a number eight,[3][4][5][6] and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Leeds, Castleford,[7][8] and Huddersfield, as a loose forward.[9]

This article is about the Welsh rugby league player. For the American footballer, see Ike Owens (American football). For the English footballer, see Isaac Owens.

Ike Owens
Personal information
Full nameIsaac Andrew Owens
Born(1918-11-07)7 November 1918
Pontycymmer, Wales
Died15 October 1998(1998-10-15) (aged 79)
Playing information
Rugby union
PositionNumber Eight
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Blaengarw RFC
Maesteg RFC
Total 0 0 0 0 0
Rugby league
PositionLoose forward
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1943–48 Leeds
1948–49 Castleford 7 2 0 0 6
1949–52 Huddersfield 127 20
Total 134 22 0 0 6
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1945–49 Wales 12 0 0 0 0
1946 Great Britain 4 1 0 0 3
Source: [1]

Playing career

Rugby union

Owens, who was born in Pontycymer near Bridgend, originally played rugby union for Blaengarw RFC, before switching to Maesteg.[10] Although switching to rugby league in 1943 Owens was part of the 1945 British Empire Forces rugby union team that played France, during a period when the strict guideline between amateur and professional were relaxed. Owens, playing at number eight, scored two tries in that game helping the British to a 27–6 victory.[11]

Rugby league

Owens changed codes in 1943 and joined Leeds.[12]

His international début came in March 1945 when he won the first of 12 caps for Wales in an 18–8 defeat by England at Central Park, Wigan.[13]

In 1946 he was selected for the Great Britain, and played in all four tests (three against Australia and one against New Zealand) on the tour to Australia and New Zealand scoring a try in the third test against Australia.1946 Great Britain Lions tour.[1] Following his return from the tour there was speculation that Owens was going to move to Australia to play for Newtown but Owens turned the move down.[14]

Owens played in one Challenge Cup final being on the losing side at Leeds lost 4–8 defeat by Bradford Northern in the 1946–47 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 3 May 1947.

Before the start of the 1948–49 season Owens asked for a transfer from Leeds and in October 1948 he signed for Castleford for a fee of £2,750.[15][16] Owens only played seven games for Castleford before moving to Huddersfield in January 1949, again for a fee of £2,750.[17]

During Owens' second season with Huddersfield (1949–50), the team reached both the Championship Final, and the final of the Yorkshire Cup but lost both; the Championship 2–20 to Wigan and the Cup to 4–11 to Bradford Northern.[18]

At the end of the 1951–52 season Owens retired aged 33, and returned to Wales.[19]

Wartime service

Ike Owens served in the Royal Air Force as a Parachute Jump Instructor during World War II at No. 1 Parachute Training School RAF based at RAF Ringway near Manchester. He was awarded the Air Force Medal in the 1945 Birthday Honours.[20]

References
  1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. Thomson, Colin (2009). The Indomitables: The 1946 Rugby League Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand. London League Publications. p. 141. ISBN 978-1903659-44-1.
  3. "Army v RAF 30 Oct 1943". raf.mod.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. "The RAF team who played in the last wartime fixture at Swansea with South Wales whom they beat 22-3 on 7 October 1944". raf.mod.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. "RAF V Paris at Parc Des Princes 11 November 1944". raf.mod.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  6. "RAF v National Civil Defence Services 10th Feb 1945 Programme". raf.mod.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  7. "Castleford RLFC A to Z Player List (All Time)". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk ℅ web.archive.org. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  8. "Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk ℅ web.archive.org. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  9. Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  10. "The Amazing Story of the Welshmen in the 1946 Rugby League Tour of Australia and New Zealand". Sporting Wales. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  11. "France tour - Richmond, 28 April 1945: British Empire Forces 27 - 6 France". espnscrum.com. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  12. "Leeds R.L. Enterprise". Yorkshire Evening Post (16, 522). 4 October 1943. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "England beat Wales". Yorkshire Post (30, 442). 12 March 1945. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. "Owens to stay with Leeds". Yorkshire Evening Post (17, 610). 11 April 1947. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "Owens asked for his transfer". Yorkshire Post (31, 517). 31 August 1948. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. "Ike Owens signs for Castleford". Yorkshire Evening Post (18, 080). 14 October 1948. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. "Ike Owens signs for Huddersfield". Yorkshire Post (31, 636). 19 January 1949. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. "1949–1950 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  19. "Pepperell will stay at Fartown". Yorkshire Evening Post (19, 235). 7 July 1952. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. "No. 37119". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 June 1945. p. 2987.
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