The 1885 Home Nations Championship was the third series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. It was contested by

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, and

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

, but the tournament was not completed. The 1885 Championship was notable for the disputes occurring between the Home Nation Unions which prevented a full tournament to be completed. England and Scotland refused to face each other due to the refereeing disagreement from their 1884 encounter, and Wales and Ireland also failed to meet due to union disputes.Godwin (1984), pg 9. The 1885 Championship also experienced a rare replay, when the Ireland versus Scotland game at Ormeau was abandoned after bad weather stopped play. The replay was played in Scotland.

Table

Source:

The matches

Wales vs. England

Wales: Arthur Gould ( Newport),

Frank Hancock Francis Escott "Frank" Hancock (7 February 1859 – 29 October 1943) was an English-born rugby union centre who played club rugby for Somerset and Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. Hancock is best known as being the sport's first fourth ...

(

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

Martyn Jordan Martyn Jordan (7 March 1865 – 14 July 1902) was an English-born international rugby union player who played club rugby for London Welsh and Newport and international rugby for Wales. Jordan played in three games for Wales scoring two tries, ...

( Newport), Charles Taylor (

Ruabon Ruabon ( cy, Rhiwabon ) is a village and community in Wrexham County Borough, Wales. The name comes from ''Rhiw Fabon'', ''rhiw'' being the Welsh word for "slope" or "hillside" and ''Fabon'' being a mutation from St Mabon, the original church ...

Charlie Newman Charlie 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 Newport squ ...

( Newport) capt.,

William Gwynn William Gwynn (1856 - 1 April 1897) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea and would later become secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union. Gwynn was an all-round sportsman and as well as his success on the rugb ...

(

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the C ...

Ernest Rowland Ernest Melville Rowlands (21 September 1864 – 7 April 1940) was a Welsh international rugby union player who played rugby for St David's College, Lampeter, and international rugby for Wales. Personal life Rowland was born in Neath, 1864 ...

(

Lampeter Lampeter (; cy, Llanbedr Pont Steffan (formal); ''Llambed'' (colloquial)) is a town, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales, at the confluence of the Afon Dulas with the River Teifi. It is the third largest urban area in Ceredigio ...

), John Sidney Smith (

Evan Richards Evan Sloane Richards (23 January 1862 – 19 April 1931) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea, captaining the club through three seasons during the 1880s. Richards' father was Member of Parliament for ...

(

Tom Clapp Tom Clapp (25 October 1858 – 15 October 1933) 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. Clapp was the first ...

( Newport), Bob Gould ( Newport),

Horace Lyne Horace Sampson Lyne MBE (31 December 1860 – 1 May 1949) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club. He won five caps for Wales. After retiring from play, he became the longest serving p ...

( Newport),

Thomas Baker Jones Thomas Baker Jones (16 September 1862 – 26 May 1959) was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby union for Newport. Jones was capped six times for Wales and was the first player to score recognised international points ...

( Newport),

Samuel Goldsworthy Samuel James Goldsworthy (11 February 1855 – 28 September 1889) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea Rugby Football Club. When Goldsworthy died in 1889 he was the first Wales rugby union international ...

(

Lewis Thomas Lewis Thomas (November 25, 1913 – December 3, 1993) was an American physician, poet, etymologist, essayist, administrator, educator, policy advisor, and researcher. Thomas was born in Flushing, New York and attended Princeton University ...

(

) England: HB Tristram (

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

), CG Wade (

Andrew Stoddart Andrew Ernest Stoddart (11 March 1863 – 4 April 1915) was an English sportsman who played international cricket for England, and rugby union for England and the British Isles. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1893. He has the unique ...

( Blackheath), JJ Hawcridge (

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

), A Rotherham (

), JH Payne ( Broughton),

Frank Moss Frank Edward "Ted" Moss (September 23, 1911 – January 29, 2003) was an American lawyer and politician. A Democrat, he served as a United States Senator from Utah from 1959 to 1977. Early life and education Frank Moss was born in Holla ...

( Broughton), G Harrison (

Hull Hull may refer to: Structures * Chassis, of an armored fighting vehicle * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a ship * Submarine hull Mathematics * Affine hull, in affi ...

), AT Kemble (

Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...

), RS Kindersley (

), HJ Ryalls ( New Brighton), ED Court ( Blackheath), RSF Henderson ( Blackheath), A Teggin ( Broughton), ET Gurdon (

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...

) capt. ----

Scotland vs. Wales

Source: Scotland

Pat Harrower Patrick Robertson "Pat" Harrower (19 January 1863 – June 1936) was a Scotland international rugby union player. Harrower is also notable as an association football referee, and he officiated the 1905 FA Cup Final. Rugby Union career Amate ...

Bill Maclagan William Edward Maclagan (5 April 1858 – 10 October 1926) was a Scottish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for London Scottish F.C. Maclagan was one of the longest-serving international rugby players during the early de ...

capt., Alexander Stephen, Gardy Maitland, Bunny Wauchope,

Augustus Grant-Asher Sir Augustus Gordon Grant-Asher (18 December 1861 – 15 June 1930)Godwin, p30 was a Scotland international rugby union player. He also represented Scotland as a cricket player.Bath, p104 Rugby Union career Amateur career Grant-Asher went to ...

, Tom Ainslie, George Robb, John Jamieson, Robert Maitland,

William Peterkin William Peterkin (1857-1945) was a Scotland international rugby union player and athlete. Rugby Union career Amateur career He played for Edinburgh University RFC. He captained the side. Provincial career He played for Edinburgh District in ...

, Charlie Reid, Charles Berry, John Tod, Gordon Mitchell Wales: Arthur Gould,

, Charles Taylor,

capt.,

Willie Thomas William Henry Thomas (22 March 1866 – 11 October 1921) was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli and London Welsh. He was capped eleven times for Wales and captained the team on two occasions. In 1888, ...

, Edward Alexander,

Frank Hill Frank Robert Hill (21 May 1906 – 28 August 1993) was a Scottish football player and manager. Playing career Forfar and Aberdeen Hill was born in Forfar and started his career at Forfar Athletic, joining the club in 1924. He moved to Aberdee ...

, Bob Gould, D Morgan,

Thomas Baker-Jones Thomas Baker Jones (16 September 1862 – 26 May 1959) was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby union for Newport. Jones was capped six times for Wales and was the first player to score recognised international points ...

----

England vs. Ireland

England: CH Sample (

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

), WN Bolton ( Blackheath),

( Blackheath), JJ Hawcridge (

), A Rotherham (

), JH Payne ( Broughton),

( Broughton), G Harrison (

), AT Kemble (

Charles Gurdon Charles Gurdon (3 December 1855 – 26 June 1931) was an English barrister, judge, rower and rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and Richmond. Gurdon represented England fourteen times during the early developmen ...

(

), HJ Ryalls ( New Brighton), CH Horley ( Swinton), CS Wooldridge ( Blackheath), GT Thomson ( Halifax), ET Gurdon (

) capt. Ireland: GH Wheeler (Queen's College, Belfast), EH Greene ( Dublin Uni.), JP Ross ( Lansdowne), RG Warren ( Lansdowne), RE McLean ( NIFC), EC Crawford ( Dublin Uni.), THM Hobbs ( Dublin Uni.), Thomas Lyle ( Dublin Uni.), FW Moore ( Wanderers), T Shanahan ( Lansdowne), RM Bradshaw ( Wanderers), TC Allen ( NIFC), HJ Neill ( NIFC), RW Hughes ( NIFC), WG Rutherford ( Lansdowne) capt. ----

Scotland vs. Ireland

Source: Scotland James Veitch,

(capt), Henry Evans,

Gardyne Maitland Gardyne Maitland (7 December 1865 – 13 February 1907) was a Scotland international rugby union player.Bath, p137 Rugby Union career Amateur career He played for Edinburgh Institution F.P. Provincial career He played for East of Scotland ...

, ARD (Bunny) Wauchope, Patrick Wauchope, Tom Ainslie, John Brown, John Jamieson, Walter Irvine,

, Charlie Reid, Jack Tait, John Tod, Gordon Mitchell Ireland: Robert Morrow, Ernest Greene, John Ross, Robert Warren, Daniel Ross, D.V. Hunter, J.A. Thompson, Thomas Lyle, Frederick Moore, Thomas Shanahan, Robert Bradshaw, Arthur Forrest (capt), Harry Neill, Jack Johnston, William Hogg ----