Vernon toured India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1889-90 as the leader of a team of amateurs, of which the other notable player was Lord Hawke.

At the time it was the greatest sporting event to have happened in Bombay, and to the astonishment of the British rulers, the Parsi side won.

Vernon toured India again in 1892-93 as part of a team led by Lord Hawke that also lost to the Parsis.

He represented the England national rugby union team as a forward on five occasions.

[2] Vernon died aged 46 of malaria fever in the Gold Coast (now Ghana).