Robert William Smeddle (14 July 1908 – 15 December 1987) was an English international rugby union player.
| Full name | Robert William Smeddle | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 14 July 1908 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Leeds, Yorkshire, England | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 15 December 1987 (aged 79) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Newcastle upon Tyne, England | ||||||||||||||||
| School | Durham School | ||||||||||||||||
| University | St Catharine's College | ||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
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Born in Leeds, Smeddle was educated at Durham School and St Catharine's College, Cambridge.[1]
Smeddle was a tall, galloping wing three-quarter, and formed a partnership in the Cambridge University varsity XV with his former Durham School friend Carl Aarvold.[1] He scored a hat-trick of tries for Cambridge University in the 1928 Varsity Match and finished the year with an appearance for the Barbarians against Leicester.[2] The following year, Smeddle gained his first England call up at age 20, playing three Five Nations matches and contributing a try on debut to help defeat Wales. He won only one further national cap, against France in 1931, having struggled with injuries.[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Aarvold's Fine Play". Daily Mirror. 5 December 1928.
- ^ "Smeddle A "Barbarian"". North Mail and Newcastle Chronicle. 20 December 1928.
- ^ "Smeddle Capped Again". Daily Mirror. 31 March 1931.
External links
edit- Robert Smeddle at ESPNscrum