Theo Harding

Charles Theodore Harding (26 May 1860 – 13 July 1919) was an English-born international rugby union player who played club rugby for Newport and international rugby for Wales. Harding was an all-round sportsman and also captained Newport Hockey Club in their very first season.^[3]

Theo Harding

Birth name	Charles Theodore Harding[1]
Place of birth	Rusholme, Lancashire, England
Place of death	Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
School	Monmouth School
Notable relative(s)	George Frederick Harding, brother
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1879–1890 Newport RFC () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1888–1889 Wales[2] 3 (0)

Rugby career

Harding was one of the first Newport players and was given the captaincy of the club in the 1887/88 and the 1888/89 season. During the 1888 Harding twice faced the first overseas touring team the New Zealand Māoris. The first occasion was also Harding's first cap for Wales, when under the captaincy of Frank Hill, the Welsh team beat the tourists five points to nil. Four days later, on 26 December, Harding led his Newport team against the Māori's, but without star player and Welsh legend Arthur Gould, Newport's supporters were not optimistic of success.^[4] They were proven right when the Māoris won three tries to nil.

In 1889, Harding was selected to represent Wales twice as part of the Home Nations Championship. Wales lost both games of the tournament against Scotland and Ireland, and Harding was not chosen to represent his country again.

International matches played

Wales (rugby union)^[5]

•  Ireland 1889
•  Māori 1888
•  Scotland 1889

Bibliography

• Billot, John (1972). All Blacks in Wales. Ferndale, Glamorgan: Ron Jones Publications.
• Godwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883-1983. Grafton Street, London: Willow Books. ISBN 0-00-218060-X.
• 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.