Wales cap Dr John Griffin makes history

The first Test match played by the British & Irish Lions was against the Springboks in Port Elizabeth on 30 July, 1891. There were no Welsh players in the tour party, but the referee of this famous fixture was a Welsh rugby international. Dr John Griffin was born in Southampton and had no Welsh connections, yet he was called on from the Edinburgh University 3rd XV to play for Wales against Scotland in 1883. Wales were a player short and he was deemed the least ‘Scottish’ member of the University club and so turned out in the forwards for Wales. Wales lost.