Ernest Melville Rowlands (21 September 1864 – 7 April 1940) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

international

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

player who played rugby for

St David's College, Lampeter University of Wales, Lampeter ( cy, Prifysgol Cymru, Llanbedr Pont Steffan) was a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822, and incorporated by royal charter in 1828, it was the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales, with limited ...

, and international rugby for

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

Personal life

Rowland was born in

Neath Neath (; cy, Castell-nedd) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a po ...

, 1864 to Evan Rowland and Jane Morris. After graduating from St David's College, Lampeter, Rowland emigrated to Canada. He was ordained Deacon of the Mission at Clarendon with Palmerston in the Diocese of Ontario in 1894. He married Hannah Lillian Gilbert on 18 June 1896.Ernest Rowland notice of marriage
rootsweb.com

Rugby career

Rowland was awarded his first and only cap for Wales while still at St David's College, Lampeter. Playing against England as part of the

1895 Home Nations Championship The 1895 Home Nations Championship was the thirteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 16 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Scotland won all their t ...

, Rowland was brought into the Welsh pack alongside fellow debutants Lewis Cobden Thomas and

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 ...

. This was the fourth time Wales had played England, and as in the three previous matches England were victorious over the Welsh team. Rowland was replaced for the next game, against Ireland, by

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, ...

Llandovery College , image = Llandovery College (geograph 5927072).jpg , image_size = , motto = Gwell Dysg Na Golud(here areno riches better than learning) , established = , closed = , type = Independent day and boa ...

, and never represented Wales again.

International matches played

Wales (rugby union)Smith (1980), pg 468. * 1885

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rowland, Ernest Wales international rugby union players Welsh rugby union players Rugby union forwards 1864 births 1940 deaths Alumni of the University of Wales, Lampeter Rugby union players from Neath