John Mantle (rugby)

John Mantle

Full name	John Thomas Mantle
Date of birth	13 March 1942
Place of birth	Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales
School	Bedwellty Grammar School
University	Loughborough College
Rugby league career
Position	Wing, Centre, Prop, Second-row, Loose forward/Lock
Professional clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
	St. Helens Salford Leigh Barrow Keighley Oldham Cardiff City (Bridgend) Blue Dragons
National teams
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1966-1973 1975	Great Britain Wales	13 8	(0) (3)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Number 8
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
? ? 1962-1965	Bargoed RFC Loughborough Colleges Newport RFC[1]
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1964	Wales[2]	2	(0)

John Mantle (born 13 March 1942) is a Welsh former dual-code international rugby player. He was capped for Wales at rugby union, and Great Britain, and Wales in rugby league.

Rugby career

Mantle began his rugby career at a young age, playing for the Wales School team. As an adult he played with Bargoed before switching to first class team Newport. While representing Newport, Mantle was selected for his two Welsh rugby union caps. His first was when he was selected as part of the touring Wales team to Africa. Mantle played in the early games of the tour, including wins over East Africa in Nairobi and Boland at Wellington. His first international was against South Africa in Durban in 1964, but Wales were outclassed and lost 24-3 in a one-sided match. Mantle played in the later games on the tour, including matches against Northern Transvaal and Orange Free State. On his return he played one final game in a win over England, at the Cardiff Arms Park as part of the 1963 Five Nations Championship.

Mantle may have won more caps for Wales, but 'Went North', switching to the professional rugby league code when he joined St. Helens in 1964. He would later play for the Great Britain rugby league team. John Mantle played Left-Prop, i.e. number 8 in St. Helens' 2-25 defeat to the 1975 NSWRFL season premiers, Eastern Suburbs Roosters in the unofficial 1976 World Club Challenge at Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday 29 June 1976.^[3]

He was coach of the Cardiff City Blue Dragons.

International games played

Wales rugby union^[4]

•  England 1964
•  South Africa 1964

County Cup final appearances

John Mantle played Right-Second-row, i.e. number 12, in St. Helens' 2-2 draw with Warrington in the 1967 Lancashire Cup final during the 1967–68 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 7 October 1967 (he was replaced by Kel Coslett in the replay), and played Left-Second-row, i.e. number 11, in the 4-7 defeat by Leigh in the 1970 Lancashire Cup final during the 1970–71 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 28 November 1970.

BBC2 Floodlit Trophy final appearances

John Mantle played Right-Second-row, i.e. number 12, in St. Helens's 0-4 defeat by Castleford in the 1965 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy final during the 1965–66 season at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Tuesday 14 December 1965, played Left-Second-row, i.e. number 11, in St. Helens' 4-7 defeat by Wigan in the 1968 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy final during the 1968-69 season at Central Park, Wigan on Tuesday 17 December 1968.^[5] played Right-Second-row in the 5-9 defeat by Leeds in the 1970 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy final during the 1970-71 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Tuesday 15 December 1970, played Right-Second-row in the 8-2 victory over Rochdale Hornets in the 1971 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy final during the 1971-72 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Tuesday 14 December 1971, and played Left-Prop, i.e. number 8, in the 22-2 victory over Dewsbury in the 1975 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy final during the 1975-76 season at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Tuesday 16 December 1975.

Bibliography

• Thomas, Wayne (1979). A Century of Welsh Rugby Players. Ansells Ltd.
• 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

1. Newport RFC player profiles
2. WRU player profile
3. "World Club Challenge 1976 at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
4. Smith (1980), pg 469.
5. "1968-1968 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.

External links

• Statistics at espnscrum.com
• Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
• Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
• Profile at saints.org.uk
• Welsh convert XIII