Charles Lewis (rugby player)

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Charles Prytherch Lewis (20 August 1853 – 27 May 1923) was a Welsh international rugby union player, who won five caps between 1882 and 1884.

[edit] Life

Lewis was born in Llangadog, Carmarthenshire.[1] He was educated at Llandovery and Jesus College, Oxford, where he obtained an M.A. degree. Whilst he did not win a "Blue" for rugby, he was a triple "Blue" – he played cricket against Cambridge, won the hurdles race and threw the hammer.[2][3] In all, he played five matches for Oxford University Cricket Club in 1876, scoring 76 runs and taking 17 wickets, his best bowling figures being 7 wickets for 35 runs.[4]

He was a fullback and represented the Wales national rugby union team on five occasions (four times during the Home Nations Championship and one friendly). His debut for Wales was in a friendly on 28 January 1882 against Ireland, when he converted two tries.[1] This was only the second match that Wales had played.[5] In the following season, he played against England and Scotland, scoring a further conversion against Scotland. In the next year, he again played against England and Scotland, and converted a try against England.[1] He was captain of Wales in his first three matches.[2]

Lewis was the representative of Llandovery at the inaugural meeting of the Welsh Rugby Union in Neath on 12 March 1881. He was at that time a schoolmaster in Llandovery. Llandovery RFC is recognised as one of the founder-members of the WRU[6] on account of his representation of the town at the meeting. He became the first president of Llandovery RFC in 1885. He worked as a solicitor in Llandovery.[5] He was a member of the MCC and was once picked to play for England against Australia but failed to make the journey. He was a member of the town council in Llandovery (1889–1920), becoming an alderman in 1899 and twice serving as mayor (1894–95, 1904–05). He was appointed as a magistrate for Carmarthenshire in 1898. He died on 27 May 1923.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Charles Lewis. WRU Searchable Player Archive. Welsh Rugby Union. Retrieved on 2008-05-16.
  2. ^ a b Jenkinson, Leonard (1994/1995). "Jesus College's Rugby Internationals". The Jesus College Record: 62–63. Jesus College, Oxford. 
  3. ^ a b Williams, Moelwyn Idwal. Lewis, Charles Prytherch (1853–1923), Welsh Rugby footballer and Oxford 'triple Blue'. Welsh Biography Online. National Library of Wales. Retrieved on 2008-05-16.
  4. ^ Charles Lewis. www.cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-16.
  5. ^ a b Llandovery RFC: The club. Llandovery RFC. Retrieved on 2008-05-18.
  6. ^ Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp41 ISBN 0 7083 0766 3
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