William Cross (rugby union)

For the association football player, see Willie Cross.

William Cross

Birth name	William Cross
Date of birth	10 September 1850
Place of birth	Glasgow
Date of death	October 16, 1890(1890-10-16) (aged 40)
Place of death	Bournemouth, England
Notable relative(s)	Malcolm Cross, brother
Rugby union career
Position(s) Halfback Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Merchistonians () – Glasgow Academicals () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) Glasgow District () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1871-72 Scotland 2 Refereeing career Years Competition Apps 1877 Home Nations 1882 Scottish Districts
10th President of the Scottish Rugby Union
In office 1882–1883
Preceded by	Alexander Petrie
Succeeded by	Gussie Graham

William Cross (10 September 1850 - 16 October 1890) was a Scotland international rugby union player.

He is notable for scoring the first conversion in international rugby in 1871 in the match between Scotland and England, after Angus Buchanan got a pushover try. Cross also got Scotland's second ever try later in the match.

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Cross played for Glasgow Academicals, and Merchistonians.

Provincial career

He played in the world's first provincial district match in 1872; the 'inter-city' - a match between Glasgow District and Edinburgh District. Cross played for Glasgow as a half-back.

International career

Cross was one of the first international half-backs, along with J.W. Arthur and their English counterparts.

Scotland's First National Rugby Team, 1871, for the 1st international, v England in Edinburgh, Scotland won by 1 goal & 1 try to 1 try

Cross represented Scotland in 1871 in the first international match. Of the Scottish score, one of the English players wrote: "after a maul, just outside the English goal-line the umpires ordered the ball to be put down in the scrummage five yards outside the line. It was taken was out accordingly, but, instead of putting it down, the Scottish forwards drove the entire scrummage into goal and Angus Buchanan grounded the ball and claimed a try. This, though illegal according to English laws, was allowed by the umpires and the goal was kicked by Cross."

The scoring system of the time gave no points for a try itself, but entitled the side to try to convert it into a goal (one point). So Cross, not Buchanan, was the first to put points on the board. In fact, this was the only score in the match.

Cross rounded off the game with a second try, ninety seconds before the final whistle, when with their forwards running riot, J.W. Arthur knocked on from a line-out and the ball looped over the English defenders, with the quick thinking Cross picking it up for Scotland's second try.

He played one more international in 1872.

Referee career

After his international playing career was over, Cross became Scotland's second international rugby referee when he officiated an early encounter between Scotland and England. This was his only international game as a referee.

He refereed the 1882 inter-city match between Glasgow District and Edinburgh District.

Administrative career

Cross took up a role within the Scottish Rugby Union and he continued promoting Scottish rugby, becoming President of the Scottish Rugby Union for the 1882–83 season.

Family

His brother Malcolm Cross gained nine caps for Scotland.

Sources

• Bath, Richard (ed.) The Scotland Rugby Miscellany (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 ISBN 1-905326-24-6)
• Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Edinburgh: Polygon, 1985 ISBN 0-904919-84-6)