Dai Lewis

David 'Dai' Henry Lewis (4 December 1866 - 8 September 1943) was a Welsh rugby union forward who played club rugby for Canton RFC and Cardiff and international rugby for Wales.

Dai Lewis
Birth nameDavid Henry Lewis
Date of birth(1866-12-04)4 December 1866
Place of birthRadyr, Wales
Date of death8 September 1943(1943-09-08) (aged 76)
Place of deathBuffalo, New York, United States
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1882–1885
1886-?
Canton RFC
Cardiff RFC
()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1886 Wales 2 (0)

Rugby career

Lewis was first capped for Wales whilst playing for Cardiff. He was selected for Charlie Newman's Wales team to face England in the opening match of the 1886 Home Nations Championship. Lewis was one of four new caps brought into the Welsh pack, alongside fellow Cardiff team-mate George Young, Llanelli's Evan Roberts and Swansea's William Bowen. Wales lost the match narrowly, but the selectors kept faith with Lewis for the next game against Scotland. The Scotland game, played at the Cardiff Arms Park, is noted for being the first international game to see a team use the four threequarter system. With Newman unavailable, the captaincy was passed to Frank Hancock, the Cardiff centre known for introducing the new back formation at club level. With six Cardiff players in the team, including Lewis, it was seen as a good time to experiment the system at international level. The experiment was seen as a failure and was abandoned with disastrous effect halfway through the match. Wales lost the match and Lewis was not selected for his country again.

International games played

Wales[1]

Bibliography

  • Godwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883-1983. Grafton Street, London: Willow Books. ISBN 0-00-218060-X.
  • Griffiths, Terry (1987). The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records. London: Phoenix House. ISBN 0-460-07003-7.
  • Smith, David; Williams, Gareth (1980). Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-0766-3.
  • Budd, Terry (2017). That Great Little Team On The Other Side Of The Bridge:The 140 Year History of Canton RFC (Cardiff) Season 1876-77 to 2016-17. Penarth, Glamorgan: Beacon Printers Ltd.

References

  1. Smith (1980), pg 468.
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