Edward Perkins Alexander (7 August 1863 – 26 October 1931) was a Welsh 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 ...

forward who played club rugby for

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

and

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 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 ...

. Alexander also represented several cricket teams, including

Llandovery College Llandovery College () is a coeducational independent boarding and day school in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. The college consists of Gollop Preparatory, Senior School and Sixth Form. It was previously known as "Welsh College, Llandovery" ...

Early life

Alexander was born in 1863 at Monknash, Wales to Thomas Alexander. He was educated at

and in 1883 graduated to

Jesus College, Cambridge Jesus College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Jesus College was established in 1496 on the site of the twelfth-century Benedictine nunnery of St Radegund's Priory, Cambridge, St ...

Rugby career

Alexander first came to note as a rugby player when he was selected for the Cambridge University team. He won three sporting Blues, playing in Varsity matches in 1884, 1885 and 1886. In 1885, while still a Cambridge student, he was selected for the Wales national team in their Home Nations Championship encounter with Scotland. Brought in to replace John Sidney Smith, Alexander was part of a nine-man pack which contained four players who would later become Wales team captains, Bob Gould,

Tom Clapp Tom Clapp (25 October 1858 – 15 October 1933) was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport and Nantyglo RFC. He won 14 caps for Wales and captained the team on three occasions. Clapp was the first ...

Willie Thomas William Henry Thomas (22 March 1866 – 11 October 1921) was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli and London Welsh. He was capped 11 times for Wales and captained the team on two occasions. In 1888, Thoma ...

and Frank Hill. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, Wales' best result against Scotland to date. Alexander was reselected for the next two Wales international matches, against England and Scotland in the 1896 Championship; which saw Wales adopt the four threequarters formation in the Scottish game. the first team to do so at international level. Despite Wales losing both matches, the selectors kept faith with Alexander and he played in the opening and closing matches of the 1887 tournament. Under the captaincy of

Charlie Newman Charlie Henry Newman (28 February 1857 – 28 September 1922) was a Welsh international three-quarter who played club rugby for Newport. He was awarded ten caps for Wales and captained the team on six occasions. An original member of the Newp ...

, Wales drew the first game against England, but Alexander was replaced for the Scottish game by Evan Richards. The Scotland game was a sporting disaster for Wales, with the Scottish team scoring 12 tries without reply. Alexander regained his position for the last match of the series, now playing for

Brecon RFC Brecon Rugby Football Club () is a rugby union club from the town of Brecon, Mid Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for Cardiff Rugby. Since 2024, the club has played in the Welsh Premier Division. Origins T ...

,Godwin (1984), pg 18. which saw Wales win thanks to a dropped kick from Arthur 'Monkey' Gould.

International matches played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 463. * 1886, 1887 * 1887 * 1885, 1886

Bibliography

* *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Edward Perkins 1863 births 1931 deaths Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge Brecon RFC players Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players London Welsh RFC players Rugby union players from the Vale of Glamorgan Wales international rugby union players Wales rugby union captains Welsh cricketers Welsh rugby union players Rugby union forwards People educated at Llandovery College