THEY have been playing rugby at Durham School for a very long time – in fact the rugby club there is recognised as one of the oldest in the world with records showing the school rugby club was founded in 1850.
Only Guys Hospital (1843), Rugby school (1845) and Sherborne (1846) indisputably predate them while St Paul’s also share the founding date of 1850.
It is also well recorded that it was two pupils at Durham School – Francis and Alexander Crombie – who effectively introduced rugby to Scotland when the family moved back to Edinburgh and the brothers took a booklet of the law of rugby football with them which were seized upon when they attended Edinburgh Academy.
It was the rugby playing old boys of Durham School that formed Gosforth Rugby Club in 1877 and that great club adopted the school colours of green and white for over a century before morphing into Newcastle Falcons. As long ago as 1894 local artist TM Henry sat on the touchline to paint the team in action against unknown opposition, a picture that proudly hangs in the sports hall today.
Given those antecedents it’s hardly surprising that Durham spawned some notable early players, not least Frederick Lohden from Hartlepool who was a massive specimen for the era – he was the biggest boy in the school First XV when aged just 15. Lohden was an early star for the Durham County team and made a notable try-scoring debut for England against Wales in 1893 but had to retire prematurely through injury.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 20, 2020 من The Rugby Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 20, 2020 من The Rugby Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.
