Evan Richards

Evan Sloane Richards (23 January 1862 – 19 April 1931) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea, captaining the club through three seasons during the 1880s. Richards' father was Member of Parliament for Ceredigion, Evan Matthew Richards.

Evan Richards

Birth name	Evan Sloane Richards
Date of birth	23 January 1862
Place of birth	Swansea, Wales
Date of death	19 April 1931 (aged 69)
Place of death	Llandaff, Wales[1]
Notable relative(s)	Evan Matthew Richards (father)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Swansea RFC () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1885-1887 Wales[2] 2 (0)

Education

Richards was educated at Clifton College.[3]

Rugby career

Richards first came to prominence within rugby as a club player for Swansea. Before being selected to represent the Welsh team, he was made captain of Swansea in the 1883/84 season. The next season Richards was capped for Wales in the opening game of the 1885 Home Nations Championship against England. Captained by Newport's Charlie Newman, Wales lost the match by three tries and Richards lost his place for the next game.

Richards was again Swansea captain in the 1886/87 season, and was awarded his second and final Welsh cap in the Scottish game of the 1887 Home Nations Championship. Wales were beaten heavily in a one-sided game, and Richards lost his place to Edward Alexander. Richards would captain Swansea in the 1887/88 season, and during 1888, he refereed two matches in the New Zealand Māori's tour of Europe; the matches against Welsh clubs, Cardiff and Newport.

International games played

Wales[4]

•  England 1885
•  Scotland 1887

Bibliography

• 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.

References

1. Swansea RFC player profile
2. Welsh Rugby Union player profiles
3. "Clifton College Register" Muirhead, J.A.O. p62: Bristol; J.W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society; April, 1948
4. Smith (1980), pg 471.