Ernie George
Encyclopedia
Ernest "Ernie" Edward George (1871 – 28 November 1952) was a Welsh
international rugby union
forward who played club rugby for a variety of teams, but is most associated with Pontypridd
and Cardiff
. George was capped three times for Wales
between 1895 and 1896.
, but switched to Pontypridd. It was while representing Pontypridd that he was first selected for the Wales national team; being brought into the pack for the match against Scotland as part of the 1895 Home Nations Championship
. George was one of two debut forwards in the Welsh team, with Tom Pook
from Newport. The game was a close affair, with Wales losing 4-5, which set up the final Welsh game of the tournament as a wooden spoon decider between Wales and Ireland. George was reselected for the encounter with Ireland, which was played at the Cardiff Arms Park
. The game was another tight match, with Wales winning by the fact that they converted their only try
, while Ireland missed theirs. George played just one more international game, the opening game of the 1896 Championship
away to England. Wales were humiliated, with England scoring seven tries without reply; and the Welsh selectors reacted by changing six of the eight man pack for the next game; George was one of those players whose Wales rugby career ended after the game.
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...
forward who played club rugby for a variety of teams, but is most associated with Pontypridd
Pontypridd RFC
Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions....
and Cardiff
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...
. George was capped three times 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...
between 1895 and 1896.
Rugby career
George, a masonry worker by trade, began his rugby career playing for local club Llantwit MajorLlantwit Major RFC
Llantwit Major Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Llantwit Major in Wales. Llantwit Major RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues....
, but switched to Pontypridd. It was while representing Pontypridd that he was first selected for the Wales national team; being brought into the pack for the match against Scotland as part of the 1895 Home Nations Championship
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...
. George was one of two debut forwards in the Welsh team, with Tom Pook
Tom Pook
Tom Pook was an English-born international rugby forward who played rugby union for Newport and rugby league with Holbeck. Although short for a forward player at five foot six, Pook was described as possessing clever play and was good in the scrummage.-Rugby career:Pook came to note as a rugby...
from Newport. The game was a close affair, with Wales losing 4-5, which set up the final Welsh game of the tournament as a wooden spoon decider between Wales and Ireland. George was reselected for the encounter with Ireland, which was played at the Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
. The game was another tight match, with Wales winning by the fact that they converted their 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...
, while Ireland missed theirs. George played just one more international game, the opening game of the 1896 Championship
1896 Home Nations Championship
The 1896 Home Nations Championship was the fourteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 4 January and 14 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
away to England. Wales were humiliated, with England scoring seven tries without reply; and the Welsh selectors reacted by changing six of the eight man pack for the next game; George was one of those players whose Wales rugby career ended after the game.
International matches played
Wales 1896- IrelandIreland national rugby union teamThe Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
1895 1895