Player Profile

Ben Gronow was Wales' sixth captain, skippering the side for the final four of his eight caps. Starting his rugby career with Maesteg Harlequins, he soon moved to Bridgend RFC and made 16 appearances for Glamorgan County as well as winning four caps for Wales RU. In 1910, he turned professional and signed for Huddersfield, making his debut against Ebbw Vale, who were also chasing him. He went on to make 395 appearances for the club, scoring 80 tries, kicking 673 goals, accumulating 1586 points, and was part of the 1914-15 'Team of All Talents' who won all four trophies available to them. He was a Lions tourist in both 1920 and 1924, playing in tests in the former, and also played  in the infamous "Welsh game that never was" for Other Nationalities. He returned down under in 1926 to become player-coach of NSW country side Grenfell, the first UK rugby league player to move down under. He played three more times for Huddersfield on his return before playing one season each with Batley and Featherstone Rovers. After retiring in 1930, he actually turned to rugby union coaching with Yorkshire club Morley, but due to his rugby league career, they were unable to name him on any club photographs. A stonemason by trade, he later served on the Huddersfield's committee, was made an honorary member of the club and was one of 21 names inducted into the Huddersfield RLFC Players' Association Hall of Fame in 1999. He died on November 24 1967 aged 80.