His son, former WRU chief executive Steve Lewis, played for Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire, Bath and won an Oxford Blue, grandsons Rob and James, won Wales Under 19, Under 20, Wales Sevens honours and another grandson, Iestyn, played for Bath and Wales Under 21.
A former teacher at Abertillery Grammar-Technical School, Ernie enjoyed an outstanding career as a rugby player before turning to refereeing. After playing the occasional game for Newport whilst a student at Caerleon Training College, he spent most of his playing days with his home town club Abertillery and at Ebbw Vale.
An outstanding outside half, he played for Abertillery between 1947-1950, captaining the club in the 1948-49 season. He moved on to played for Ebbw Vale between 1950-54, who he also captained, before returning to Abertillery for his final season.
A prolific points scorer, he set records for the most points in a season at Ebbw Vale in 1949-50, 1950-51 and 1951-52. His best tally of 198 points made him the leading points scorer in Welsh rugby in 1951-52, helping Ebbw Vale to become the Welsh Champions.
His record stood until 1974-75, when his son, scrum half Steve, broke it. He represented the Monmouthshire County XV, winning his county cap, and also played against Australia for the Combined Abertillery & Cross Keys XV at Abertillery Park in 1947. He also played against New Zealand for the Combined Abertillery & Ebbw Vale XV at Abertillery Park in 1953.
His talent was first spotted when he led Abertillery County School to an invincible season in 1941-42. After captaining Monmouthshire Secondary Schools he was selected to represent the Welsh Secondary Schools against France, only for the outbreak of World War II to deny him a cap. But while he just missed out on representing Wales, his son and three grandchildren did do so in the years to come.
Ernie took up refereeing in 1956 and his first fixture with the whistle was between Crumlin and Stratford-on-Avon on Easter Tuesday that season. He quickly established himself as one of the leading referees in the game and went on to officiate for 16 years.
His first international match was between France and Australia in 1971 and he was one of the touch judges for the world famous game between the Barbarians and the All Blacks at Cardiff Arms Park in 1973 – wearing a red shirt given to him by Blaina RFC.
He refereed every major touring team in the world – Australia v Llanelli in January 1967, New Zealand against Limerick in 1967 and against Cornwall & Devon 1973, Canada against East Glamorgan in 1971, Japan against West Glamorgan in 1973, Springboks v Munster in January 1970, – and was named by the Springbok management as the British referee who most impressed them on that tour.
He was also the first British referee to take charge of a game involving Fiji, when they met a Bridgend & Maesteg XV at the Brewery Field in1964.
Never afraid to lay down the law, the diminutive Ernie once sent-off the legendary Pontypool, Wales and British Lions forward Ray Prosser in a club game. It led to him receiving only two more first class matches in the next five months.
He became an assessor after hanging up his whistle and was President of the Welsh Society of Rugby Referees up to the time of his death. He also helped to nurture many young rugby players during his many years as a schoolteacher, with former Wales and British & Irish Lions centre Arthur Lewis naming him as the “biggest influence on my career”.
