Rugby-Pioneers

Lt G.H. d'Oyly Lyon, United Services and England

Here is Lieutenant (- then Admiral...-) Sir George Hamilton d'Oyly Lyon, KCB (3 oct. 1883 - 19 aug.1947) who was (cf Wikipedia ) a distinguished Royal Navy Officer, a first-class cricketer and rugby player who played for Portsmouth, United Services and England.

Lyon was capped twice for England as fullback, vs Scotland in Inverleith (march 1908) and, as captain, vs touring Australia in Blackheath (jan.1909)... two defeats, I'm afraid!

His full stats on scrum.com are here.

This print was published in "The World" c1910. If anyone knows the exact date or issue ?

Say, just for the pleasure of sharing a nice picture, a caricature by Sir Leslie Ward aka "Spy" - there are not so many coloured plates in my old books and newspapers !

"La Manière Bayonnaise" 1913

Possibly the most important rugby book in pre-ww1 France... rare, scare and precious ! (to me, at least...)

"La Manière Bayonnaise" ("The Bayonne Method" so to say...) is a milestone in French rugby, laying the grounds for an open passing game... and "French Flair"... written in 1913 by Fernand Forgues, captain of Aviron Bayonnais, French Champion 1913, and his two brothers and teammates Jules and Charles.

This book has been largely influenced by Gwyn Nicholls' "The Modern Rugby Game" and Bayonne key player Harry Owen Roe... even if last chapter highlights differences between "Welsh" and "Bayonnaise" methods... (can't tell you now !! haven't read it yet...)

The original cover picture shows the arrival of Aviron Bayonnais in Colombes, before their (winning) final vs SCUF on April 6th, 1913... "Les Gallois de France" (the Welshmen from France - read that former post for more!) as a fine synthesis!

Also realizing that I haven't draft a full article about Harry Owen Roe... unforgivable ! One of the nice background stories behind this blog is that it helped Roe's family and heirs (from Wales, England and Australia) to get to know eachother and meet IRL four years ago...

This said, you could check Roe's photographies (and signature) on my Flickr, or read this old story (2007) introducing this gentleman from Penarth who had settled in Pays Basque... Much more to come !

A last one - but a great one! - before leaving, courtesy of Gallica / French National Library, showing Roe (wearing a hat) and Jack Bancroft in Paris, in March 1922, before France v Wales.