Billy Mainwaring

William Thomas Mainwaring (born Gwilym Thomas Mainwaring; 24 January 1941 – 1 April 2019)[1] was a Welsh international[2] second row rugby union player who played for Aberavon RFC.[3]

Billy Mainwaring
Birth nameGwilym Thomas Mainwaring
Date of birth(1941-01-24)24 January 1941
Place of birthPort Talbot, Wales
Date of death1 April 2019(2019-04-01) (aged 78)
SchoolEastern School, Taibach
Occupation(s)steelworker
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Taibach RFC
Aberavon RFC
Bridgend RFC
Barbarian F.C.		 ()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1967–1968 Wales 6 (0)

Rugby career

Nurtured in his village team of Taibach RFC, Mainwaring was a regular member of the Aberavon RFC team before his first cap in 1966-7 season against Scotland at Murrayfield. He played in all of the Welsh games of that term.

In the following season, he was one of four Aberavon RFC players who played against the touring All Blacks (the others being fellow second row Max Wiltshire, centre Ian Hall and debutant full-back Paul Wheeler). His final test was against England in 1968.

He captained Aberavon RFC in the 1969–70 and 1970-1 seasons playing on until the club's centenary season of 1976-7.

During his career he formed a formidable club second row partnership firstly with Max Wiltshire and later with Allan Martin, both fellow internationals.

After retirement he became a selector at Aberavon RFC. His mother, Mrs Evelyn Mainwaring, who died in 2004, was a vociferous supporter of Aberavon; her "often deafening" words of advice and humour (delivered from the stand) made her popular throughout the rugby fraternity in Wales. On one occasion, when her son got into a fracas with Gareth Edwards, she shouted: "Put him down, Billy, he's playing for Wales on Saturday!"[4]

References
  1. "Obituary: Wizards legend Mainwaring passes away". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. 2019-04-03. Archived from the original on 2019-04-13. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
  2. "Billy Mainwaring". Scrum. ESPN. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
  3. "Rugby in Aberavon". Rugby in Wales. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
  4. "Final farewell to Mrs Mainwaring". WalesOnline. 14 September 2004. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
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