Arthur Daniels

Arthur Daniels

Personal information
Full name	Arthur Harper Daniels
Nickname	Arty Lee
Born	(1922-09-04)4 September 1922 Pontyberem, Wales
Died	4 October 2001 (aged 79) Swansea, Wales
Playing information
Weight	98 kg (216 lb; 15 st 6 lb)
Position	Wing
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
25 Aug 1945–22 Apr 57	Halifax	376	215	2	0	649
	Bradford Northern
	Total	376	215	2	0	649
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
	Wales	13
	Great Britain

Arthur Harper Daniels (4 September 1922^[1] – 4 October 2001), born in Pontyberem, was a rugby league footballer.

In 1945, he was one of three Welshmen, all from the Llanelli area, who had trials with the Halifax rugby league club. A winger, he made a relatively slow start to his rugby league career, which was interrupted with a period in the armed forces. Following a big improvement in his form in 1948–49, he was by 1949 an important part of the Halifax side.

In 1950, he toured Australasia with the Great Britain squad, but injury forced him to return home early before the first test. He made 13 appearances for Wales, scoring nine tries.^[2]

He was Halifax captain for the 1952/53 season. However, injuries would curtail his season. A splintered ankle bone sustained in the second test against the touring Australian's at Swinton kept him out of the third. A broken arm in a home match against Huddersfield on Christmas Day 1952 ended his season.

His domestic career also included two Challenge Cup final appearances at Wembley. The first was in 1954 when Halifax drew with Warrington, the tie was settled in the famous Odsal replay where he had a try disallowed in a defeat for Halifax. His next Wembley appearance came in 1956 against St. Helens where once again, Halifax were the losing side.

International honours

Daniels won 13 caps for Wales in 1949–1953 while at Halifax, and won 3 caps for Great Britain in 1952–1955 while at Halifax.^[3]

Career highlight

All footballers during their career have one match which stands out more prominently than others. When Daniels was asked if there was such a game, he chose the first test of that season's series against Australia at Headingley, a game in which he scored his first try at test level, helping to secure a 19-6 victory.

Bradford and retirement

The 1956–57 season was his last at Thrum Hall, after which he had a brief spell with Bradford Northern before his retirement.

After retiring, he lived for a time in the Halifax area where he was a publican. He moved to Pudsey and then Bramley, before moving back to Pontyberem. He later ran a newsagents in Swansea. He spent his final years in Neath.

Honoured at Halifax

Arthur Daniels is a Halifax Hall Of Fame inductee.^[4]

References