Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe - Rugby 1st XV, 1956/57

Back Row (left to right): Norman Herbert Anthony (Tony) MacWhinnie (touch-judge) 6M1, James C Briden 6S4, Roy C Jones 6M1, Robin ("Bill") C Hackett 6S1, M. J. ("Ginger") Richardson 6S2, Rodney T Tate 6B2, John R Bone 6S2, Alan G Eales 5UA, Philip J Muller 6M1, Chris J Cunningham 6S2, Peter J Blokland 6B1
Front Row (left to right): Terry J Gilder 6S2, E. M. ("Tony") Squires 6M4, Alan Harvey (Vice-Captain) 6C, Brian E Devlin (Captain) 6M4, Gerry L S Hickey 6B2, Chris R Rake 6B2, Derek W Hollomon 6B2.

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From the May 1957 Wycombiensian, p267ff

RUGBY RETROSPECT 1st XV

School matches : Won 7, Drawn 2, Lost 5 Other matches : Won 3, Lost 2

We look back on an interesting season of rather mixed fortunes : the team was much stronger behind the pack than forward, but when the whole team was playing at its best it was a most attractive one to watch. The centre three-quarters were as good as ever we have had, and the wings (all three of them, for E. M. Squires recovered by mid-season from a long period of injury) were fast and scored plenty of tries : on the the other hand, they showed little sense of position and missed a good many points in attack and defence. At half-back, T. J. Gilder bad to give up his position at full-back and do his best at scrum-half, where he was resolute and most aggressive, but often a wild passer ; luckily, catching was his partner M. J. Richardson’s strongest point ; the rest of whose game was more steady than brilliant except for tantalising glimpses of first-class ability. J. C. Briden had some good games at full-back. Forward, the captain, B. E. Devlin, was late in finding his own previous form, and it was several weeks before the pack took any sort of shape. R. C. Jones hooked and played consistently well, C. R. Rake led the pack with marked success after Christmas, and R. C. Hackett was on the whole the best of several other promising newcomers.

In January, A. Harvey took over the captaincy and led the team well : he has been for long an outstandingly skilful and entirely wholehearted player. This was very much a dry weather team, fast running and passing by the backs being its chief strength, but it was also pleasant to see some really top-class tackling, notably against the very strong Leighton Park side and at Balliol. Gilder, Harvey, C. J. Cunningham and G. L. S. Hickey have played for Bucks Schoolboys, Gilder with particular distinction at full-back.

The first match, against Windsor, was won comfortably, with the wings Cunningham and D. W. Hollomon in good scoring form : the latter was unfortunately injured in the next practice game. St. Marylebone brought a much improved side over and a drawn game seemed a fair result. At Wandsworth we made a poor start against Emanuel School and staged a recovery far too late. P. J. Muller was prominent in defence. In the home game against Watford we spent most of the game desperately defending our line, the only promising counter-attack being cut short by half-time : although we lost, our inexperienced forwards learned a good deal in this game, so that the team combined better next Saturday to beat St. Benedict’s decisively ; Briden, playing full-back for the first time, did well. City of Oxford had a well-organised defence, but, getting plenty of the ball, and with Harvey always difficult to hold, we managed to win safely. Gilder dropped an excellent goal after an earlier practice shot.

After beating Stowe 2nd XV we lost a level game against Tiffin School mainly through careless, half-hearted, play, though neither side seemed at its best. We were very pleased to win the return match at Watford, crossing their line three times but conceding a couple of penalty goals. Abingdon had bad luck with injuries during the game, and St. Edward’s 2nd XV were not very formidable this year. At Reading the usual hard battle was fought out. Alas, Harvey, who had been making a number of good breaks, was injured in the middle of the second half when we were leading by three points. Reading equalled with a fine, spectacular, dropped goal from a mark far out, and with Harvey off the field, we were glad enough to draw. Leighton Park had a big and skilful side, and we were fairly satisfied to lose by two tries and three penalties to two tries. Our back-row forwards (except P. J. Blokland) rather disgraced themselves, but the tackling, especially of the backs, was excellent, and Squires, deputising for Harvey, had a thoroughly good game in the centre.

In January, P. D. Fry brought a formidable side of masters and Old Boys to play the School, with J. E. Woodward a strange full-back and R. E. Syrett in the pack. The visitors played in disjointed fashion and the School won easily. Mr. Nightingale earned several days of enforced holiday. Those interested in the diagnosis of concussion may care to know that he remembered every detail of the game, but was firmly convinced he dreamed them. Gilder’s place-kicking, soccer style, was very effective. The team continued to play well, narrowly beating the Saracens Gipsy XV, a good team, and despite Gilder’s absence through a leg injury they outplayed Balliol on a dry pitch in the Parks. Muller deputising at stand-off set the lead with some violently successful tackles on his opposite number. Rake’s absence from the pack and Harvey’s from the centre still further weakened the side, which lost to St. Bartholomew’s in a mudlark made notable by the excellent play of their full-back. A. G. Eales in the front row found the conditions to his liking. A slightly stronger team lost by 3 points to 6 against Jesus College, Oxford, being badly outplayed forward by an experienced pack on a wet and heavy ground. As the last match of the season (except for a holiday visit to Ystalyfera) the Wycombiensians beat a much depleted School team by 12 points to 8. Quite a good game played in wind and rain ; but as the Wycombiensians had undertaken to field a side composed of Old Boys we were disappointed that they had not done so.

C.M.H. [Christopher M Haworth, master-in-charge of rugby]

The following were included in the 1st XV photograph : all have been awarded their 1st XV colours in this or previous seasons : J. C. Briden, D. W. Hollomon, A. Harvey (Vice-Captain), P. J. Muller, C. J. Cunningham, E. M. Squires, M. J. Richardson, T. J. Gilder, B. E. Devlin (Captain), R. C. Jones, C. R. Rake, R. T. Tate, J. R. Bone, G. L. S. Hickey, A. G. Eales, P. J. Blokland, R. C. Hackett.

Others who played for the 1st XV were : K. R. Miller, P. Aikens, P. D. Hares, O. V. Volkonsky, R. Pratley, C. J. Melsom, H. L. Barrow, D. A. Scott-Kiddie, R. J. Collett, A. Brinn, A. S. Whatley.

(After Christmas Harvey was elected Captain in place of Devlin, who left, and Rake Vice-Captain. Unfortunately Hickey, one of last season’s colours, was prevented by injury from playing all but a few matches.)

Date 1st XV Venue Result F A

Sept. 22

Windsor Grammar School

Home

Won

33

0

Sept. 29

St. Marylebone Grammar School

Home

Drawn

5

5

Oct. 6

Emanuel School

Away

Lost

3

12

Oct. 10

Watford Grammar School

Home

Lost

0

8

Oct. 13

St. Benedict’s School

Away

Won

22

0

Oct. 20

City of Oxford School

Home

Won

9

5

Oct. 24

Stowe School, 2nd XV

Home

Won

9

0

Nov. 7

Tiffin School

Away

Lost

11

16

Nov. 10

Watford Grammar School

Away

Won

11

6

Nov. 17

Abingdon School

Away

Won

20

5

Nov. 21

St. Edward’s, 2nd XV

Away

Won

25

3

Nov. 28

Reading School

Away

Drawn

6

6

Dec. 1

Leighton Park School

Home

Lost

6

15

Jan. 16

P. D. Fry’s XV

Home

Won

24

3

Jan. 19

Saracens Gipsy XV

Home

Won

12

9

Feb. 2

Balliol College, Oxford

Away

Won

13

0

Feb. 9

St. Bartholomew’s, Newbury

Away

Lost

0

5

Feb. 16

Jesus College, Oxford

Away

Lost

3

6

Feb. 23

Wycombiensians

Home

Lost

8

12

2nd XV

     

Sept. 29

St. Marylebone Grammar School

Away

Lost

3

8

Oct. 6

Aylesbury Grammar School, 1st XV

Home

Won

25

11

Oct. 10

Watford Grammar School

Away

Won

15

0

Oct. 13

St. Benedict’s School

Away

Won

25

3

Oct. 24

Stowe School, 3rd XV

Home

Lost

0

6

Oct. 27

Stoneham School, 1st XV

Home

Won

34

0

Nov. 7

Tiffin School

Home

Drawn

11

11

Nov. 10

Watford Grammar School

Home

Won

15

3

Nov. 17

Abingdon School

Away

Won

12

8

Nov. 21

St. Edward’s School, 3rd XV

Away

Lost

0

8

Nov. 28

Reading School

Home

Drawn

0

0

Dec. 1

Leighton Park School

Away

Lost

0

27

Jan. 19

Lord Williams’s School, Thame, 1st XV

Away

Lost

5

6

Jan. 26

Stoneham School, 1st XV

Home

Won

14

6

Feb. 9

St. Bartholomew's, Newbury

Away

Won

10

0

Feb. 16

Southfield School, 1st XV

Away

Lost

9

15

3rd XV

     

Sept. 22

Windsor Grammar School, 2nd XV

Away

Lost

0

24

Oct. 6

Borlase School, Marlow, 2nd XV

Away

Lost

8

13

Oct. 10

Watford Grammar School

Away

Lost

11

14

Oct. 13

St. Benedict’s School

Home

Won

13

8

Oct. 20

City of Oxford School, u/16 XV

Home

Won

22

0

Nov. 7

Tiffin School

Home

Lost

8

10

Nov. 10

Watford Grammar School

Home

Drawn

3

3

Nov. 14

Slough Technical School, 1st XV

Away

Won

12

8

Nov. 17

Wycombiensians “B” XV

Home

Won

20

6

Nov. 21

Borlase School, Marlow, 2nd XV

Home

Lost

6

11

Nov. 28

Reading School

Away

Lost

6

14

Dec. 1

Leighton Park School

Away

Lost

8

9

Dec. 8

Wycombiensians "B” XV

Away

Won

16

0

Feb. 2

Wycombiensians “B” XV

Home

Lost

0

3

 

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