Evan James (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Evan James was a Welsh
rugby
half back who played club rugby for Swansea
under the rugby union
code, and professional rugby league
for Broughton Rangers
. While playing with Swansea, James was paired with his brother, David James
and together they were nicknamed the 'Swansea gems' and the 'Curly haired marmosets'. The brothers were the centre of a controversial move to the league game in 1892 and switched codes twice in their careers.
. His debut, without his brother as support, was deemed a total failure. On the 7 March 1891, against Ireland at Stradey Park
, James turned out for Wales alongside his brother to keep together their Swansea partnership. James's fifth and final cap took a seven-year gap to obtain when he turned out against England in 1899.
In 1892, James and his brother supposedly turned out for professional rugby league
team Broughton Rangers
, after which the Rugby Football Union
banned them both from rugby union. In 1896, an appeal from Swansea and Wales was successful and the brothers were reinstated. On January 28, three weeks after their final cap, David and Evan actually joined Broughton Rangers, and severed their links with rugby union.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
half back who played club rugby for Swansea
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
under the rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
code, and professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
for Broughton Rangers
Broughton Rangers
Broughton Rangers was a British rugby football, and subsequently a rugby league club. It was based in Broughton, Salford.-History:Broughton Rangers was founded in 1877 as Broughton and added Rangers for its second season...
. While playing with Swansea, James was paired with his brother, David James
David James (rugby player)
David James was a Welsh international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Swansea. While playing with Swansea, James was paired with his brother, Evan James and together they were nicknamed the 'Swansea gems' and the 'Curly haired marmasets'.- Rugby career :James was first capped for...
and together they were nicknamed the 'Swansea gems' and the 'Curly haired marmosets'. The brothers were the centre of a controversial move to the league game in 1892 and switched codes twice in their careers.
Rugby career
James was first capped for his country on 1 February 1890 in a match against Scotland, which was more notable for being the debut game for Swansea team-mate and Wales legend Billy BancroftBilly Bancroft
Billy Bancroft was a Welsh international fullback who played club rugby for Swansea and a county cricketer for Glamorgan, becoming their first professional player in 1895....
. His debut, without his brother as support, was deemed a total failure. On the 7 March 1891, against Ireland at Stradey Park
Stradey Park
Stradey Park was a rugby union stadium located near the centre of the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was the home of the Scarlets region and Llanelli RFC rugby teams. The stadium was a combination of seating and standing with a total capacity of 10,800...
, James turned out for Wales alongside his brother to keep together their Swansea partnership. James's fifth and final cap took a seven-year gap to obtain when he turned out against England in 1899.
In 1892, James and his brother supposedly turned out for professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
team Broughton Rangers
Broughton Rangers
Broughton Rangers was a British rugby football, and subsequently a rugby league club. It was based in Broughton, Salford.-History:Broughton Rangers was founded in 1877 as Broughton and added Rangers for its second season...
, after which the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
banned them both from rugby union. In 1896, an appeal from Swansea and Wales was successful and the brothers were reinstated. On January 28, three weeks after their final cap, David and Evan actually joined Broughton Rangers, and severed their links with rugby union.
International matches played
Wales 1899 1890, 1892- IrelandIreland national rugby union teamThe Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
1891, 1892