Edward 'Ned' John Roberts (1867 – 14 June 1940) was a Welsh

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...

 fullback who played club rugby for Llanelli

Llanelli RFC

Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...

 and international rugby 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...

.

Rugby career

Roberts first international cap was gained in the opening game of the 1888 Home Nations Championship

1888 Home Nations Championship

The 1888 Home Nations Championship was the sixth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Three matches were played between 4 February and 10 March. It was contested by Ireland, Scotland and Wales. England was excluded from the Championship due to their refusal to join the...

. The Welsh selectors had chosen two different fullbacks in the last two internationals, since Harry Bowen

Harry Bowen

David Henry "Harry" Bowen was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales...

, a fellow Llanelli player, had face England in early 1887. With England withdrawn from the tournament, Wales faced Scotland in the opening game at home at Newport

Newport

Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...

's Rodney Parade

Rodney Parade

Rodney Parade is a stadium in the city of Newport, south Wales. Located on the east bank of the River Usk in Newport city centre it is primarily used for rugby matches and is the home ground of Newport RFC and the Newport Gwent Dragons regional team.-History:...

. The Welsh team held seven new caps and although lacking in experience, the team managed to kill the game after taking the lead when Thomas Pryce-Jenkins

Thomas Pryce-Jenkins

Dr. Thomas John Pryce-Jenkins was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for London Welsh and county rugby for Middlesex...

 scored the match's only try

Try

A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...

.

Roberts was reselected at halfback for the very next Wales international, in the second and final Welsh game of the 1888 Championship, away to Ireland. Under the captaincy of Tom Clapp

Tom Clapp

Tom Clapp 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...

, the Welsh team faced an international opposition for the final time playing with three threequarters system, but lost heavily. Roberts was not part of the 1888 Wales team that faced the touring New Zealand Natives

1888-1889 New Zealand Native football team

The 1888–1889 New Zealand Native football team was a New Zealand football team that toured Britain, Australia and New Zealand in 1888 and 1889. The team was composed mainly of players of Māori ancestry, although several Pakeha were included in the squad. The tour was a private endeavour, and was...

, but Roberts also failed to make the Llanelli team that faced the same tourists three days prior. In the opening game of the 1889 Home Nations Championship

1889 Home Nations Championship

The 1889 Home Nations Championship was the seventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Three matches were played between 2 February and 2 March. It was contested by Ireland, Scotland and Wales...

 the fullback position was filled by Cardiff's

Cardiff RFC

Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...

 Hugh 'Sawdust' Hughes

Hugh Hughes (rugby player)

Hugh 'Sawdust' Hughes was an international rugby union player who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. Although very little personal information is available for Hughes, he is notable for facing the touring New Zealand Māoris, the first touring Southern Hempishere rugby...

, but the next game saw Roberts retake his place at fullback. Roberts was one of four Llanelli players that were brought into the squad, but he, Giotto Griffiths

Giotto Griffiths

Griffith 'Giotto' Griffiths was a Welsh international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales.-Rugby career:...

, Dan Griffiths

Dan Griffiths

Daniel 'Dan' Griffiths was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales. Morgan was a collier by profession.-Rugby career:...

 and Tom Morgan

Tom Morgan (rugby player)

Tom Morgan was a Welsh international rugby union centre who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales...

would never play another international game. The Irish won the game with two tries, both scored by debut players.