1898 Home Nations Championship


The 1898 Home Nations Championship was the sixteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 5 February and 2 April. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
For the second year running, England claimed the title solely on the fact that the other Home Nation Unions were still in bitter dispute. The Scottish Rugby Union was still aggrieved at the situation caused by the Gould Affair and decided not to participate in a match against Wales. This decision meant England led the scoring table as the winner of a Scotland vs. Wales encounter would have taken the Championship.
Due to the dispute, most sources list the result of the 1898 championship as "not completed."

Table

Results

The matches for this season were decided on points scored. A try was worth three points, while converting a kicked goal from the try gave an additional two points. A dropped goal and a goal from mark were both worth four points. Penalty goals were worth three points.

The matches

England vs. Ireland

England J. F. Byrne capt., G.C. Robinson, Ernest Fookes, Osbert Mackie, WL Bunting, H Myers, PG Jacob, F Jacob, R Pierce, F Shaw, RF Oakes, Frank Stout, HW Dudgeon, JH Blacklock, Charles Edward Wilson
Ireland Pierce O'Brien-Butler, S Lee capt., Lucius Gwynn, Lawrence Bulger, FC Purser, Louis Magee, GG Allen, JE McIlwaine, JH Lytle, WG Byron, M Ryan, J Ryan, H Lindsay, JG Franks, J. L. Davis
----

Ireland vs. Scotland

Ireland Pierce O'Brien-Butler, Frederick Smithwick, Lucius Gwynn, Lawrence Bulger, FC Purser, Louis Magee, GG Allen capt., JE McIlwaine, JH Lytle, WG Byron, M Ryan, J Ryan, H Lindsay, JG Franks, J. L. Davis
Scotland: JM Reid, RT Neilson, Edward Spencer, AR Smith capt., T Scott, JT Mabon, M Elliot, GC Kerr, A MacKinnon, MC Morrison, WMC McEwan, TM Scott, R Scott, John Dykes, HO Smith
----

Scotland vs. England

Scotland: JM Reid, RT Neilson, TA Neslon, AR Smith capt., T Scott, JT Mabon, M Elliot, GC Kerr, A MacKinnon, MC Morrison, WMC McEwan, TM Scott, R Scott, John Dykes, HO Smith
England J. F. Byrne capt., PW Stout, WN Pilkington, PMR Royds, WL Bunting, GT Unwin, Arthur Rotherham, F Jacob, JF Shaw, HE Ramsden, RF Oakes, Frank Stout, HW Dudgeon, JAS Davidson, W Ashford
----

Ireland vs. Wales

Ireland J Fulton, Frederick Smithwick, W Gardiner capt., Lawrence Bulger, FC Purser, Louis Magee, A Barr, JE McIlwaine, WG Byron, M Ryan, J Ryan, H Lindsay, TJ Little, JG Franks, T McCarthy
Wales: Billy Bancroft capt., Viv Huzzey, Gwyn Nicholls, Pussy Jones, Tom Pearson, Selwyn Biggs, Jack Elliott, Hopkin Davies, Tom Dobson, David Daniel, William Alexander, George Boots, Dick Hellings, Fred Cornish, Joseph Booth
----

England vs. Wales

England J. F. Byrne capt., PW Stout, Ernest Fookes, PMR Royds, WL Bunting, R O'H Livesay, Arthur Rotherham, F Jacob, JF Shaw, HE Ramsden, RF Oakes, Frank Stout, HW Dudgeon, JAS Davidson, W Ashford
Wales: Billy Bancroft capt., Viv Huzzey, Gwyn Nicholls, Pussy Jones, Tom Pearson, Selwyn Biggs, Jack Elliott, Hopkin Davies, Tom Dobson, David Daniel, William Alexander, George Boots, Dick Hellings, Fred Cornish, Dai Evans