Elsey came to note as a rugby player while playing for first-class Welsh team
Cardiff. Despite being English born there was a two-year residency rule that allowed non-Welsh born players representing the Wales national team, and in 1895 he was selected to represent Wales as part of the
Home Nations Championship. Elsey was brought into the Welsh pack for the Championship opener against England. The Welsh team had changed much since the previous match of the lase season, with only six of the original fifteen reselected, though only Elsey and
Swansea's Tom Jackson were new caps amongst the forwards. The match was played at
St. Helen's,
Swansea with Wales led out by
Arthur 'Monkey' Gould, in a team that contained over 100 caps from just seven players, against an English team fielding 10 new caps. Despite being in a far more experienced team, Elsey found himself on the losing side as the English won 14–6, scoring four
tries. The Welsh points game from two tries, one of which was scored by Elsey. Even with a score on his international debut, Elsey was replaced for the next match of the Championship by
Ernie George and never represented Wales again.
International matches played Wales • 1895 ==Bibliography==