About Joe Rees
Lived 1893 – 1950 (aged 56). Joe Rees was a British rugby union player.
Joseph Rees (3 June 1893 – 12 April 1950) was a Welsh international rugby union full-back who played club rugby for Swansea. Rees made his debut for Swansea in 1919 and captained his club in the 1922/23 season. Rees would play 12 times for Wales, and captained them on one occasion. His brother, William "Billo" Rees, was a rugby league footballer who played for Wales and the Great Britain team, and toured Australia.
International rugby career In 1920 Rees was selected to play against England at St Helens. It was a ground-breaking game that saw Newport's Jerry Shea score 16 points and become the first person to achieve an international rugby 'Full House', of all four scoring types. Rees played all four games in the 1920 Five Nations Championship in which Wales won the competition. After playing three games in the 1921 tournament Rees was selected for the opening game in 1922 against England. During this game Rees scored his first points in a Welsh shirt when he converted two tries; though as Wales scored eight tries the return could have been better. Rees managed a penalty goal against France in 1923, which was the last score he would achieve for Wales . The next year, in his last game for Wales against England, Rees was given the captaincy of Wales. Wales lost the game 17–9.
International matches played Wales 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924 1920, 1923 1920, 1921, 1923 1920, 1921
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Joe Rees's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Joe Rees's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Joe Rees?
Welsh rugby union player (1893-1950)
When was Joe Rees born?
Joe Rees was born on 3 June 1893.
When did Joe Rees die?
Joe Rees died on 12 April 1950 in Swansea.
What was Joe Rees's occupation?
Joe Rees was a rugby union player.
What nationality was Joe Rees?
Joe Rees was British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Joe Rees (rugby union, born 1893)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Joe Rees. https://biography.guide/joe-rees/
MLA: "Joe Rees." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/joe-rees/.
Chicago: "Joe Rees." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/joe-rees/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:30 UTC