John Hart Evans
Encyclopedia
John 'Jack' Hart Evans was a Welsh
international rugby union
centre who played club rugby for Pontypool
. He won three caps for Wales
during 1907.
' 1906 touring South African team as part of the Monmouthshire
team. Evans was partnered at centre for the Monmouthshire game with Pontypool team-mate Jack Jones
, but Evans spent much of the game in defensive cover and he and Jones were deemed out of form against the much faster Springboks. The game ended in a 17-0 defeat for Monmouthshire.
Just a few months after the South Africa game, Evans won his first international cap for Wales when he was brought in as centre for the opening game of the 1907 Home Nations Championship
. Partnered with Rhys Gabe
, Evans was given the difficult task of replacing Gwyn Nicholls
one of the most inventive and loved centres in Welsh rugby history. The 1907 campaign started well, with a convincing win over England, and the Welsh selectors responded by keeping faith with Evans for the next two games of the tournament. Wales suffered a narrow loss to Scotland, but responded with a large victory over Ireland. Despite playing in a successful Championship campaign, Evans was dropped the next season in favour of the more experienced Billy Trew
, and never represented his country again.
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...
international 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...
centre who played club rugby for Pontypool
Pontypool RFC
Pontypool Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in the town of Pontypool. Pontypool RFC has a long history within Welsh rugby and is one of the most notable clubs, being present at the formation of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1881, but disbanding before the turn of the 19th century...
. He won three caps for Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
during 1907.
Rugby career
Evans came to note as a rugby player when he turned out for Pontypool Thursday, a minor town team. He soon progressed to Pontypool RFC, who were at the time making a notable appearance at club level and gaining caps internationally. In 1906, Evans was one of five Pontypool players to be selected to face Paul RoosPaul Roos (rugby player)
Paul Johannes Roos was one of the first South African Springbok rugby union captains and led the first South African rugby team to tour overseas – to Britain in 1906...
' 1906 touring South African team as part of the Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire County RFC
Monmouthshire County RFC is a Welsh rugby union club that manages an invitational team, known as Monmouthshire that originally played rugby at county level...
team. Evans was partnered at centre for the Monmouthshire game with Pontypool team-mate Jack Jones
Jack Jones (rugby player)
John "Jack" Phillips Jones was a Welsh international centre who played club rugby for Pontypool Rugby Club and Newport Rugby Football Club. He won 14 caps for Wales and was known as The Prince of Centres.-Rugby career:...
, but Evans spent much of the game in defensive cover and he and Jones were deemed out of form against the much faster Springboks. The game ended in a 17-0 defeat for Monmouthshire.
Just a few months after the South Africa game, Evans won his first international cap for Wales when he was brought in as centre for the opening game of the 1907 Home Nations Championship
1907 Home Nations Championship
The 1907 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-fifth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 12 January and 16 March...
. Partnered with Rhys Gabe
Rhys Gabe
Rhys Thomas "Rusty" Gabe born as Rees Thomas Gape, was a Welsh rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli, London Welsh and Cardiff and gained 24 caps for Wales, mainly as a centre.-Rugby career:...
, Evans was given the difficult task of replacing Gwyn Nicholls
Gwyn Nicholls
Erith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
one of the most inventive and loved centres in Welsh rugby history. The 1907 campaign started well, with a convincing win over England, and the Welsh selectors responded by keeping faith with Evans for the next two games of the tournament. Wales suffered a narrow loss to Scotland, but responded with a large victory over Ireland. Despite playing in a successful Championship campaign, Evans was dropped the next season in favour of the more experienced Billy Trew
Billy Trew
Billy Trew 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 Welsh rugby union...
, and never represented his country again.