Description
An Introduction to Classic England Rugby Shirt
Produced by Ellis Rugby, Classic England Rugby Shirt Polo Triple Blue is an exceptional quality shirt. The Classic England Rugby Shirt Polo Triple Blue inspired design celebrates the great England Rugby sides of 1913 and 1914. Key to the success of those great teams was C.N. Lowe who while at Cambridge University won rugby blues in 1911, 1912 & 1913, making him a rare ‘Triple Blue’. We’ve incorporated a quartered crest containing the English Rose and symbols celebrating C.N. Lowe’s military achievements.
ENGLAND GRAND SLAM 1913
The 1913 English Five Nations Championship squad was led by the inspirational Captain Norman Wodehouse. Wodehouse was a fine uncompromising forward. He was a line-out specialist, but more importantly a fine leader of men, both on and off the field. He’d originally been capped in 1910 against France. And was then an ever present in the side over the next two seasons. In 1912 he was promoted to captain.
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First England defeated Wales at Twickenham by 12 points to nil. A game in which Pillman was central to the victory by scoring an excellent try and Poulton dropped a goal. Followed by an emphatic 20 points to nil victory over France in which Pillman collected a brace of tries. It was then over to Dublin and a confident 15 points to 4 win. The final match was a really tight game with England defeating Scotland 3 points to nil.
England won the Triple Crown for the fourth time and the Grand Slam for the first time. They only conceded one score during the tournament, a dropped goal scored by Ireland. Wodehouse became the first English captain to lead his side to a clean-sweep of victories. But sadly in his last season of rugby, he lost his life in 1941 when his merchant vessel was sunk by German submarines.
ENGLAND GRAND SLAM 1914
With no Wodehouse, due to his Navy commitments, England gave the Captaincy to their star three-quarter Ronnie Poulton. Poulton made his name playing for Harlequins, Liverpool F.C., Balliol College and Oxford University RFC. He was a talent and is one of only three men to score a hat-trick of tries in The Varsity Match – he scored five in 1909, still the individual record for the fixture.
England rode their look in the first game against Wales a team they had not beaten away since 1895. Bruno Brown and Blackheath’s Pillman scored tries and Fred Chapman kicked two goals for a tight 10 points to 9 victory.
About Matches
40,000 spectators gathered for England’s next game against Ireland. Poulton came up against his Liverpool F.C. club mate in Irish flyhalf and captain Dickie Lloyd, who praised Poulton’s fine performance in the 17 points to 12 win.
Next was against Scotland for the Calcutta Cup and the Triple Crown. This as a match dominated by the legendary England Winger Cyril Lowe who scored a superb Patrick of tries to put his team well in front. Scotland came back into the game late, but to England’s relief the game ended with the score in their favour 16 points to 15.
The final hurdle to the back-to-back Grand Slam achievement was France. The last international rugby match held before the First World War scheduled at Colombes in Paris on 13 April 1914. Poulton’s performance was truly outstanding, scoring four tries in England’s 39–13 victory. Poulton renowned for his elusiveness and glamorous style of play – “the very mention of swerving sends one’s thoughts to the late Ronald Poulton, the swerver par excellence”
