- Date of Birth30 / 01 / 1878
- Died20 / 09 / 1963
- Lions Tours1903
- International CapsWales / Lions.
- Lions Origin SchoolsMonmouth School
- Lions Origin ClubsDHL Western Province, Blaenavon RFC, Barbarians, Villagers, Blackheath, Newport, Kent
Reginald ‘Reg’ Skrimshire travelled all over the world as a civil engineer but he first constructed a fine rugby career as both a Wales international and a Lion.
A jet-heeled centre who scored 16 tries in 24 matches during his first season with club side Newport, he appeared in all three Wales games at the 1899 Home Nations Championship.
But after a four-year absence from the Test arena, Skrimshire was selected for the Lions ahead of the 1903 Tour to South Africa and made a big impact in the famous jersey.
As well as scoring in the first Test against the Springboks – a match that ended 10-10 – Skimshire in total appeared in 22 games, including an incredible four tries in a game against King Williams Town.
Africa was a country he would return to many times in his life as he built many railways and bridges on behalf of Great Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
One of his most famous works is a railway that spans from Johannesburg up to and over Victoria Falls.