| Birth name | Owen James Evans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Cardiff, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Griffithstown, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Marine engineer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Owen James 'Jem' Evans (1867 - 14 October 1942) was a Welsh rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. Evans was one of the earliest half-backs to play for Wales and was awarded four caps between 1887 and 1888, though never with the same partner.
Evans was first selected for Wales in the opening game of the 1887 Home Nations Championship, played in Llanelli against the English team. Evans was partnered with team captain and Newport player Charlie Newman. The Welsh team held England to a nil - nil draw, their best result to that date, and Evans was reselected for the next game of the Championship, away to Scotland. On this occasion, Evans was partnered with new cap George Bowen of Swansea, the Welsh captaincy going to Bob Gould. The match was a humiliation for Wales, with Scotland running in 12 tries without reply. The Welsh selectors reacted with massive restructuring of the back positions, with only Arthur 'Monkey' Gould keeping his place. Bowen and Evans were replaced by John Goulstone Lewis and William Stadden.
The next season Evans was back in favour, and was partnered with Cardiff team-mate Stadden, to face Scotland as part of the 1888 Championship. Wales beat Scotland, a historic first victory over the Scots, thanks to a single try from Thomas Pryce-Jenkins. Evans final international game was the second and last Welsh game of the 1888 Championship. Played away at Lansdowne Road against Ireland, Evans was linked up with yet another new half-back pairing, Newport's Charlie Thomas. An underperforming Wales lost the match and Evans did not represent his country again.
Wales [1]
Arthur Joseph "Monkey" Gould was a Welsh international rugby union centre and fullback who was most associated as a club player with Newport Rugby Football Club. He won 27 caps for Wales, 18 as captain, and critics consider him the first superstar of Welsh rugby. A talented all-round player and champion sprinter, Gould could side-step and kick expertly with either foot. He never ceased practising to develop his fitness and skills, and on his death was described as "the most accomplished player of his generation".
Thomas Cooper Graham was an England-born Welsh rugby union international forward who played club rugby for Newport. He won 12 caps for Wales and was seen as intelligent, mobile forward player. Graham is most notable within rugby for his captaincy of Newport, which saw the team through one of their most successful periods, including the 1891–92 "invincible" season.
The 1888 Home Nations Championship was the sixth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Three matches were played between 4 February and 10 March. It was contested by Ireland, Scotland and Wales. England were excluded from the Championship due to their refusal to join the International Rugby Football Board.
The 1890 Home Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 1 February and 15 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Harry Packer was an English-born international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Newport and was capped seven times for Wales. Packer had a long association with rugby, as a player, selector, official and in 1924 was the manager of the touring British Isles team.
Charles Thomas was a Welsh international rugby union utility player who played club rugby for Newport and invitational rugby for the Barbarians. Thomas won nine caps for Wales.
William James Wood "Buller" Stadden was a Welsh international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Canton, Cardiff and Dewsbury. Stadden won eight caps for Wales over a period of seven years and is most remembered for scoring the winning try in 1890 to give Wales their first victory over England. He committed suicide in Dewsbury after murdering his wife.
William Henry Thomas was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli and London Welsh. He was capped eleven times for Wales and captained the team on two occasions. In 1888, Thomas was chosen to tour New Zealand and Australia as part of the first British Isles team. This unofficial tour did not play any international opposition and no caps were awarded.
Frederick Charles Parfitt was a Welsh international rugby union scrum-half who played club rugby for Newport, regional rugby for Somerset and was capped nine times for Wales. On retiring from rugby union, Parfitt switched to bowls and also represented Wales in this sport.
David Henry "Harry" Bowen was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales. After his retirement from playing he became a rugby administrator and referee. He is best remembered as a popular Llanelli captain, who scored the winning dropped goal against the 1888 touring New Zealand Māori.
Alexander Frederick Bland was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff. Bland won nine caps for Wales over a period of four years.
William Edward Osborne Williams was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and London Welsh. Williams was capped for Wales five times over a period of four years.
Charles Suckling Arthur was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. Arthur was one of the Wales team to face the first Southern Hemisphere touring parties, the 1888 New Zealand Natives.
Griffith 'Giotto' Griffiths was a Welsh international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales.
Henry Thomas Day was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport and Cardiff. Day was awarded five caps for Wales, and was most notable for being part of the 1893 Welsh Triple Crown winning team. A carpenter by trade, he was also the uncle of Harry Phillips, who was also a Newport player who represented Wales.
George Albert Rowles was a Welsh rugby union international halfback who played club rugby for Penarth RFC|Penarth and Cardiff. He won a single cap for Wales national rugby union team|Wales during the 1892 Home Nations Championship. He was the second player to represent Wales while playing club rugby for Penarth, after Dickie Garrett.
Hugh 'Sawdust' Hughes was an international rugby union player who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. Although very little personal information is available for Hughes, he is notable for facing the touring New Zealand Māoris, the first touring Southern Hempishere rugby team, when they lost to Cardiff in 1888.
Frederick Herbert Dauncey was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Newport and was capped three times for Wales. Dauncey was an all-round sportsman, and also represented Wales in tennis and Newport in field hockey. He was educated at King Henry VIII Grammar School in Abergavenny and was a lifelong member of the schools Old Boys society.
George Rosser Evans was an international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. Rosser is notable for facing the touring New Zealand Māoris, the first touring Southern Hempishere rugby team, when they lost to Cardiff in 1888.
John Goulstone Lewis was a Welsh international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales. Lewis was also a cricketer, but only played at local level for Llanelli, though he was the first player to score a century at Stradey Park.
