page_title: Edward John Lewis
section_title: Rugby career
hierarchical_section_title: Edward John Lewis / Rugby career
caption_attribution_description: English: The first Wales national rugby union team, posing before the match against England in 1881. Standing (L-R): W.D.Phillips (Cardiff), G.Harding (Newport), R.Mullock (Newport), F.Purdon (Newport), G.Darbishire (Bangor), E.Treharne (Ponypridd), R.G.D.Williams (Abercamlais). Sitting: T.A.Rees (Oxford University and Llandovery), E.Peake (Oxford University and Chepstow), J.A.Bevan (Captain) (Cambridge University and Grosmont), B.E.Girling (Cardiff), B.B.Mann (Cardiff). On Ground: L.Watkins (Oxford University and Llandaff), C.H.Newman (Cambridge University and Newport), E.J.Lewis (Cambridge University and Llandovery), R.H.B Summers (Haverfordwest).
context_page_description: Edward John Lewis was a Welsh medical doctor and international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Llandovery College and international rugby for Wales. He won just a single game for Wales when he was selected for the first Welsh rugby international.
context_section_description: When Newport Athletic secretary, Richard Mullock, was successful in gaining an agreed fixture from the Rugby Football Union between the English team and a yet to be formed Wales side; he had a short period to recruit a Welsh team. Mullock had future plans to form a Welsh Rugby Union, so selected a team of 'gentlemen players' that represented a wide spread of clubs from around Wales. Lewis was not only an ex-Cambridge student, having graduated from Christ's College but also represented Llandovery, and was called up to represent the first Welsh team. Lewis was placed at the key position of half-back, paired with Llandaff's Leonard Watkins. The game was a disaster for the Welsh team. The team was badly organised, having never played together before, and several players out of position. In the first ten minutes of the start of the game, both Lewis and Wales forward B. B. Mann were injured, both eventually leaving the field of play before the final whistle. Wales were totally out-classed, losing by eight goals to nil, and Lewis never represented his country again.
caption: The first Welsh team, Lewis is sat in the front row, far left
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