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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