Owen James 'Jem' Evans (1867 - 14 October 1942) was a Welsh

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 ...

half-back who played club rugby for

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

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 ...

. Evans was one of the earliest half-backs to play for Wales and was awarded four caps between 1887 and 1888, though never with the same partner.

Rugby career

Evans was first selected for Wales in the opening game of the

1887 Home Nations Championship The 1887 Home Nations Championship was the fifth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 8 January and 12 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Scotland won the championshi ...

, played in

Llanelli ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire and the Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is on the estuary of the River Loughor and is the largest town in the Principal areas of Wales, ...

against the English team. Evans was partnered with team captain and Newport player

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 ...

. The Welsh team held England to a nil - nil draw, their best result to that date, and Evans was reselected for the next game of the Championship, away to Scotland. On this occasion, Evans was partnered with new cap

George Bowen Sir George Ferguson Bowen ( zh, 寶雲; 2 November 1821 – 21 February 1899), was an Anglo-Irish author and colonial administrator whose appointments included postings to the Ionian Islands, Queensland, New Zealand, Victoria, Mauritius and H ...

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 ...

, the Welsh captaincy going to Bob Gould. The match was a humiliation for Wales, with Scotland running in 12 tries without reply. The Welsh selectors reacted with massive restructuring of the back positions, with only Arthur 'Monkey' Gould keeping his place. Bowen and Evans were replaced by John Goulstone Lewis and

William Stadden William James Wood "Buller" Stadden (1861 –30 December 1906) was a Wales, Welsh international rugby union Half-back (rugby union), half back who played club rugby for Canton, Cardiff, Canton, Cardiff RFC, Cardiff and Dewsbury Rams, Dewsbur ...

. The next season Evans was back in favour, and was partnered with Cardiff team-mate Stadden, to face Scotland as part of the 1888 Championship. Wales beat Scotland, a historic first victory over the Scots, thanks to a single try from

Thomas Pryce-Jenkins Dr. Thomas John Pryce-Jenkins (1 February 1864 – 6 August 1922) was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for London Welsh and county rugby for Middlesex. Pryce-Jenkins represented Wales twice but he is more notable wit ...

. Evans final international game was the second and last Welsh game of the 1888 Championship. Played away at

Lansdowne Road Lansdowne Road Stadium (, ) was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) that was primarily used for rugby union and association football matches. The stadium was demolished in 2007 to make way for the Aviva Stadium on ...

against Ireland, Evans was linked up with yet another new half-back pairing, Newport's Charlie Thomas. An underperforming Wales lost the match and Evans did not represent his country again.

International games played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 465. * 1887 * 1888 * 1887, 1888

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Jem 1867 births 1942 deaths Welsh rugby union players Rugby union players from Cardiff Cardiff RFC players Wales international rugby union players Rugby union halfbacks