Story written & researched by Sean Fagan for SaintsAndHeathens.com

Most Victorians tend not to dwell on it, but when Melbourne was founded, it was part of New South Wales and the British Empire—so long ago that King William IV was still on the throne and the Union Jack flew high all day, every day.

Rugby football had a brief, forgotten existence there in the 1850s, but Victorians soon turned away from the game, and many will now tell you bald-faced it never happened.

Despite this, somehow the oddities of life still resulted in individual Victorians appearing in British rugby teams over the late 1800s and the first years of the next century.

One famously even did it on the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)!  

VICTORIANS AT PLAY IN THE ‘HOME NATIONS’

——
Alexander (Alec) William PEARSON
England 1875-78, 7 caps, fullback

At the age of 4 left Melbourne (Kalkallo) for England in 1858 with his parents and older brother (James), primarily so the boys could receive a fuller education at Blackheath Proprietary School, London. Pearson played Rugby for Blackheath FC (his brother was captain) and Guy’s Hospital in the mid 1870s. A contemporary recalled him as being “about as fine a fullback as ever played, beautiful drop and place kick and dead sure tackle”.  Returned home to a life in Victoria. 

 James BEVAN
Wales 1881, 1 cap (and captain), three-quarter back

Born in St. Kilda, Melbourne, at the age of seven was sent to Monmouthshire in Wales to live with relatives. Played Rugby for Cambridge University, Clifton and Newport (the latter just once). Selected as skipper in Wales’ debut international. Lived in the remainder of his life in England. Since 2007 the Wallabies and Wales have played for the James Bevan Trophy.

Reginald ‘Reggie’ MORRISON
Scotland 1886, 3 caps, three-quarter back

Nephew of founder of Geelong College, played Aussie rules alongside Charles Brownlow for Geelong FC before studying medicine at Edinburgh University. Played in all three matches of Scotland’s 1886 team. Returned to Melbourne and established a medical practice.

“A Victorian Crack. — A writer in the ‘Athletic News’, referring to the recent Rugby match England v. Scotland, said:— Perhaps the best three-quarter on the ground was Morrison, of Edinburgh University, who fielded the wet ball remarkably well. His tackling and kicking were also good, and it was very hard lines that he should have been pushed into touch-in-goal when he looked certain to get a try. [R.H. Morrison is a Victorian.]”
— Evening News (Sydney), 4 May 1886

Alec TIMMS
Scotland 1896-1905, 14 caps (1 as captain), three-quarter back

He was Geelong born, attended Geelong College and Melbourne Grammar, and played football with the Geelong FC (now AFL).  While studying medicine at Edinburgh University (his grandparents were also Scots) he played rugby. A prodigious drop-kicker and fast-paced three-quarter, he was chosen for Scotland. Also won selection for the 1899 British Lions (‘England’) tour of Australia, where in late August 1899 he had the unique distinction of playing for his adopted home in a 30-nil win against a Victorian XV on the MCG. Briefly stayed on in Geelong after the tour, but returned to Britain, where he worked as a doctor.

“Timms, the wing three-quarter, who is an old Geelong player, has taken to the Rugby game with great gusto, and says if the game is played in the colonies as it is at Home [Britain] he would have no hesitation in saying that it would quickly kill the other games. Timms is the champion hurdler of Scotland.”
— Clare’s Weekly (Perth), 17 June 1899

“A try by Timms, once a shining light at Geelong, gave England another goal [conversion] from the sure foot of Adamson, whose accuracy was remarkable.”
— The Australasian (Melbourne), 26 August 1899