John Meredith (1863 - 30 November 1920) 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 peopl ...

international rugby union forward who played club rugby for

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

and won four caps for Wales. Outside rugby, Meredith later became a literary adjudicator in Eisteddfodau.Player profile of Meredith
Swansea Rugby Club website

Rugby career

Meredith was first selected for Wales on 4 February 1888 in the opening game of the Home Nations Championship against Scotland at Rodney Parade. Meredith was one of seven new caps in the Welsh squad, and one of five in the pack, which included fellow Swansea teammates W.H. Howell and

T. Williams T. Williams was a rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea and London Welsh and played international rugby for Wales. Very little is known of Williams and he is often confused with his contemporary Tom Williams who also played for W ...

. Wales won the game thanks to a single try from

Thomas Pryce-Jenkins Dr. Thomas John Pryce-Jenkins (1 February 1864 – 6 August 1922) was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for London Welsh and county rugby for Middlesex. Pryce-Jenkins represented Wales twice but he is more notable with ...

and Meredith was reselected for the next game of the tournament, played away to Ireland at Lansdowne Road. Although the team was more stable in its selection, with the same eight forwards playing, Ireland won comfortably and for eight of the Welsh team it was their last Championship match. Meredith found himself dropped for the next season's Championship but unlike most of the 1888 team, found himself back in the Welsh team when he was chosen to play in the opener of the 1890 Championship against Scotland. Played at the Cardiff Arms Park, Wales lost the game and the following game to England was expected to follow the same pattern. Wales had never beaten the English, but the England team had missed the last two seasons after an argument with the Scottish Rugby Union and this was their first Championship game of the tournament. Now under the captaincy of Arthur Gould, Meredith was part of a victorious Wales team, thanks to a clever try from William Stadden. Although part of the winning team, Meredith was never reselected for Wales with Tom Graham taking Meredith's place.

International matches played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 469. * 1890 * 1888 * 1888, 1890

Bibliography

* *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meredith, John 1863 births 1920 deaths Rugby union forwards Rugby union players from Swansea Swansea RFC players Wales international rugby union players Welsh rugby union players