Martyn Jordan (7 March 1865 – 14 July 1902) was an

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-born international

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player who played club rugby for

London Welsh London Welsh Rugby Football Club () was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, after gaining promotion from ...

and

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and international rugby for

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

.Rugby Union player profiles
/ref> Jordan played in three games for Wales scoring two tries, though at the time scoring tries carried no points.

Rugby career

Jordan first played first class rugby for Newport Rugby Club, but moved to London to study medicine. While in London he initially played for

Guy's Hospital Guy's Hospital is an NHS hospital founded by philanthropist Thomas Guy in 1721, located in the borough of Southwark in central London. It is part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and one of the institutions that comprise the Kin ...

before the exile team, London Welsh was created in 1885. Jordan played in the first London Welsh game, played at the Saracen's ground against London Scottish;Jones (1985), pg 6. alongside fellow Newport player and Wales rugby legend Arthur Gould. When London Welsh took part in their first tour of South Wales, the team took in

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

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, Newport and a South Wales XV over a six-day period. When the team faced Newport, Jordan refereed the match rather than play as he represented both teams.Jones (1985), pg 7. Jordan first represented Wales when he was still with Newport in early 1885, when he was chosen to face England as part of the Home Nations Championship. Wales lost the game, but Jordan played well and scored two tries, one of which Gould, also appearing in his first game for Wales, converted. Jordan returned for the very next match of the tournament against Scotland in a nil-nil draw. Jordan's next game for Wales was his last and took another four years to achieve, and by this time he was playing most of his club rugby for London Welsh. The game was against Scotland and was played as part of the

1889 Home Nations Championship The 1889 Home Nations Championship was the seventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Three matches were played between 2 February and 2 March. It was contested by Ireland, Scotland and Wales. England were excluded from the C ...

, away from home at

Raeburn Place Raeburn Place is the main street of the suburb of Stockbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland, and the name of the playing fields there. It is also the location of the first International Rugby match between Scotland and England. Rugby The first eve ...

, Wales lost to Scotland and Jordan was never selected for Wales again. In the 1888/89 season, Jordan was given the captaincy of London Welsh and the tactical changes he brought to the club during this season is seen as a major factor in changing the club into a respectable opponent in Britain.Jones (1985), pg 12.

International matches played

Wales (rugby union)Smith (1980), pg 468. * 1885 * 1885, 1889

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jordan, Martyn Wales international rugby union players Welsh rugby union players Newport RFC players London Welsh RFC players 1865 births 1902 deaths Rugby union players from Bristol Rugby union three-quarters Guy's Hospital RFC players