1st XV 1974/75

Back row: Mr A.D. Foley, R.J. Shearman, D. Bostock, D. Worsley, S.D. Grant, A.P Goldsworthy, I.J. Rippon, T.J. Perkin, M.W. O'Shea, A.A.M. Hines
Middle row:  S.J. Gooch, S.J.K. Barratt, N.D. O'Shea, Mr R. Wolsey (Warden), A.C. Rutherford (Captain), S.D.J. Wigney, T.D. Wadlow
Front row: T.A.J. Mace, K. Sparks

Letter to the Editor

That 1st XV you were part of had to be one of the best ever. You and "Wurzle" [Dave Worsley - Ed] were in the 2nd row weren't you? -- obviously didn't know you since I was only 3rd form that year in Peel.  The 'O Shea's were all hard men/nutters (depending on your point of view!) -- "Weazle" Wigney and the gifted, if soft, Alan Rutherford at half-back.  Tim Mace and Kev Sparks (England U16 that year) were precocious and prodigious talents, Trev Wadlow was really solid and Tim Perkin, apart from being a really great bloke, was absolutely fearless as I recall.

Was that Tony Foley's first year coaching the 1st XV? [Yes - Ed] Taking over from Colin "Get your rrrrrrrrugger boots on!" Little. Little was a hell of a coach, what I remember of him (he left at the end of my 2nd year). I remember Tony Foley as a real nice guy from Fettes Academy, where I think he returned, committed Christian who used to love getting the lads together with his guitar, if I recall, but not the greatest coach in the world.

The following year's 1st XV should have been even better but the O'Sheas left for New Zealand so the team was good but not that good. The year after that, Kev Sparks (a phenomenal talent at football, basketball and rugby) was captain and the team posted it's only losing record that I remember. Kev was moved/or moved himself to full-back which proved disastrous and they didn't have it in the forwards.

Tony Foley left at the end of that year and was replaced by Terry Williams, a superb coach and person, who I had the privilege of playing for who would have made an incredible Housemaster but, of who, the school squandered a tremendously gifted individual (when I think of some of the mediocrity in the teaching dept., it was a shame) and let him get away.

Tim Prouty