Lives in Cricket No 11 - CP Lewis

The problems, though, were not over by the time the Welsh players finally arrived to change at a nearby pub prior to the game at Blackheath. They found two of their chosen players had not arrived, so a couple of the named reserves, both University players, were drafted into the starting line-up. 28 One of the missing players was J.E.Brooks of Pontypridd and he later claimed that ‘there was no organization or committee to select players for the matches organised by Mullock. All that would happen was that some individual would have a conversation with you, take your name and address and pass on. That happened to me after I had played for Pontypridd at Sophia Gardens. It was mentioned to me that Treharne and I had been chosen to play for Wales against England. I had no definite instructions from anyone to play in that match, but I heard afterwards that I had been expected to play.’ However, recent research has shown that Brooks’ name never appeared on any of the official team-lists, and rugby historians believe that Brooks’ claims may have held water in earlier times, especially with other teams, but they are far more sceptical about the Wales-England match, debunking what appears like a good story, but in essence, was just unfounded tittle-tattle. Llandovery’s fly-half, Aneurin Rees, did play, but was injured early on. Wales, with nine forwards, were swamped by England’s ten-strong pack, and England got a ‘ridiculously easy’ victory by eight goals and six unconverted tries to nil – 86 points to nil under the twenty-first century scoring system – a sporting disaster which had an immediate benefit as it prompted the officials of the leading Welsh clubs to convene a meeting on 12 March 1881 at the Castle Hotel, Neath to establish a Welsh Rugby Football Union which would organise rugby in the principality, and organise properly a Welsh national side to play internationals against England, Scotland and Ireland. C.P. attended as Llandovery College’s representative and was no doubt pleased to mingle with many of his friends from the South Wales Club. He was probably even more delighted when the assembled mass decided that the members of the Club should retain their importance in the new oragnisation, with Chambers becoming the inaugural President, succeeded in 1885 by J.T.D.Llewelyn, whilst C.P.Lewis was appointed as one of two vice-presidents. 80 The Lone Full Back 28 The Times reporter at the match commented rather soberly: ‘… it is probable, had the decision of the contest been possible at an earlier period, the Welsh executive would have had more material at their command.’