 Rugby union took root in Wales in 1850 , when Reverend Rowland Williams became Vice @-@ Principal at St David 's College , <unk> , where he introduced the sport . Wales played their first international on 19 February 1881 ; organised by Newport 's Richard <unk> , Wales played against England , losing by seven goals , one drop goal and six tries to nil ( 8 – 0 ) . On 12 March 1881 , the Welsh Rugby Union was formed at The Castle Hotel , <unk> . Two years later , the Home Nation Championship – now the Six Nations Championship – was first played and Wales did not register a win . However , rugby in Wales developed and , by the 1890s , the Welsh had developed the four three @-@ quarters formation . This formation – with seven backs and eight forwards , instead of six backs and nine forwards – <unk> the sport and was eventually adopted almost universally at international and club level . 
