Howell Lewis (24 May 1888 – 29 May 1971) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...

international

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the Comparison of rugby league and rugby union, two codes of ru ...

wing who played club rugby for

Swansea Rugby Football Club Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premiership. The club play at St Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea and are also known as ''The Whites,'' in reference to their home kit colours. History ...

and was capped for

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

on four occasions. Lewis was also part of the Swansea team that beat the touring South Africa team in 1912.

Rugby career

Lewis joined Swansea in 1910 and in 1912 was part of the team that faced the touring

South Africa national rugby union team The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks (colloquially the Boks, Bokke or Amabokoboko), is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jersey ...

. Swansea won the game by a single try, made more impressive by the fact that Lewis was off the field for a quarter of the match. During the game, Lewis took a blow on the bridge of his nose and when he confronted the perpetrator took another blow to his chest which staggered him. Lewis was removed from play to receive treatment, but no action was taken against South Africa. While Lewis was off the pitch, George Hayward was forced to switch to the wing, as substitutions were not part of the rules. Lewis returned to the pitch after twenty minutes to finish the game.Billot (1974), pg 121. Lewis made his Welsh international debut on 1 February 1913 against Scotland as part of the

Five Nations Championship The Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) is an annual international men's rugby union competition between the teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. The current champions ar ...

. Lewis was one of five new Welsh caps on the day, after a poor game to England in the opening match of the tournament. The very inexperienced team played well under the captaincy of

Billy Trew Billy Trew (1 July 1878 – 20 August 1926) was a Welsh international centre, outside half and wing who played club rugby for Swansea Rugby Football Club. He won 29 caps for Wales and is seen as one of the key players of the first Golden Age of ...

and Wales won 8–0. Lewis was reselected for the remaining two games of the Championship, both resulting in Welsh wins, away to France and at home to Ireland. Lewis's last game was the opening match of the 1914 Championship, which saw Wales lose narrowly at

Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the borou ...

to England. In 1914 Lewis was given the captaincy of Swansea, but the outbreak of World War I halted the regular playing of rugby in Great Britain. In 1915, Lewis was captain of a West Wales team that faced an

ANZAC The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914, and operated during the Gallipoli campaign. General William Birdwood comm ...

team at St. Helens, During the war, Lewis reached the rank of captain in the

Royal Welch Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers ( cy, Ffiwsilwyr Brenhinol Cymreig) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales' Division, that was founded in 1689; shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designat ...

, returning to yet again captain Swansea in peacetime during the 1919/1920 season. He retired from rugby in 1920.

International matches played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 468. * 1914 * 1913 * 1913 * 1913

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Howell 1888 births 1971 deaths British Army personnel of World War I Royal Welch Fusiliers officers Rugby union players from Pontardawe Rugby union wings Swansea RFC players Wales international rugby union players Welsh rugby union players