was losing face as a governing body, with teams pulling out of matches after embarrassing fixture clashes and a lack of firm commitments.

Mullock arranged a set of trials in December 1880 to choose the team that would face England, to be captained by Cambridge University player James Bevan.

failed to attend the meeting, which led to their dissolution as the WFU was accepted as the official representative union of the Welsh clubs.

The four major Welsh clubs, Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Llanelli were all in favour of the new direction Mullock was taking rugby in Wales and gave their support to the formation of the WFU.

[8] By September 1882, Mullock was not only the WFU secretary and treasurer, but was installed as one of the four regional selectors for the Welsh national team, representing the Newport area.

At the 1890-1 WFU annual meeting, Swansea's William Gwynn, challenged Mullock's position and demanded that he step down on the grounds of financial mismanagement.

[10] While Tom Williams of Neath complained that Mullock, as treasurer, had not provided a balance sheet for members since 1884.

His opposite partner on the line at the same game was JA Gardener, secretary of the Scottish Rugby Union and the referee was James MacLaren, President of the RFU.

[12] In 1886 as part of the Home Nations Championship, Mullock was selected to referee an international game between England and Ireland.

England won both matches by a try, and the fact that two members of the WFU were seen to have 'had a hand' in Irish defeats caused an already strained relationship between Wales and Ireland to worsen.

[14] In 1893 the affairs off Mullock became public as he strived to fight off bankruptcy orders, with the local courts deeming him £2,000 in debt.