This blog is by Nottingham University student and SFT volunteer, Kate Girdlestone.
With top international teams currently engaged in the Six Nations Championship, fighting for the trophy, rugby is on everybody’s minds. Nottingham has its own unique history in the world of rugby, one that is particularly prevalent in the broader history of the Second World War. Established in 1877, Nottingham R.F.C play in the R.F.U. Championship, the second tier of English Rugby. Previously known as Notts R.F.C, the club’s existence in World War Two shows the spirit of a club determined to continue even throughout turbulent and uncertain times.
At the outbreak of WWI in 1914, all major sport was cancelled, and did not occur for the duration of the war. In WWII however a different approach was taken and sport was allowed, and even encouraged to continue, likely for reasons of morale. Rugby was no exception, although many major traditional clubs were forced to cease during the war, as many players were unavailable due to the war effort. Notts, however, played throughout the war, with the ‘Notts Wartime XV’ existing as their primary team - and were one of the only, if not the only, club to be such a consistent presence.
Their first wartime match was an internal one just a fortnight after the outbreak of war, against the Servicer's XV, a team consisting of Notts players joining the war effort, and despite a somewhat disrupted first season, 14 matches were still played between 1939 and 1940. Across the war, the Notts Wartime XV played 120 matches, managing to organise complete seasons every year. They played a further 20 in the 1945-6 season, before the club returned to normal. This large number of matches was undoubtedly a significant feat under the circumstances. During the 1940-41 season, the club were disrupted when their Beeston home ground at Ireland Avenue was commandeered for the war effort. They continued despite this - a true demonstration of their determination and resilience - and home matches were played at Highfields (the current home to the University of Nottingham Rugby Club) and at the Henry Mellish School at Highbury Vale. The disruption was a brief one however, and the ground was returned to the club by the end of 1940 for matches.
The war brought into question the official split between Rugby Union and Rugby League in 1893.Between 1893-1939, the R.F.U took a dim view of League players and the professionalisation of the sport, and anyone who had played Rugby League was banned from the R.F.U.These restrictions were dropped for the duration of the war - the only time this occurred in over 100 years between 1893 and 1995, when Union was professionalised.The relaxation of the rules allowed the sport to continue as League players moving around the country for the war effort could become involved in Union.As a result of relocation during the war, Notts welcomed many influential players, including several capped internationals.These players included Donough Tierney, who won three caps for Ireland between 1938-39, and played for Notts in the 1942-43 season.Arthur Bassett, a Welsh international with six caps made 23 appearances for Notts during the war, and later won three caps for the GB Rugby League team.One of the most influential players was Jack Heaton.Playing for Waterloo R.F.C. before the outbreak of war, Jack was relocated for the war effort and played for Notts between 1943 and 1945, scoring 275 points in 28 matches. He also played for England 9 times, between 1935 and 1947, and this 12 year span was the longest England career of any player until the Millennium.In a touching tribute to his wartime club, when Heaton returned to Waterloo after the war, he would greet the Notts team at away games, wearing his old Notts tie - demonstrating the notable importance of the Notts Wartime XV.
Pictured above is Pilot Officer Prince Alexander Sergeevich Obolensky, a Notts player during his school days at Trent College, who won several England caps, and scored several tries, including one regarded as one of the greatest tries of all time. A political refugee from Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution, Obolensky tragically died during the war at just 24, and is thus included on the Notts R.F.C.’s Roll of Honour, an ongoing project to honour those taken too soon in the destruction of warfare.
Although admittedly a relatively small player in the grand scheme of wartime and rugby history, Notts R.F.C.’s determination to keep the game alive during such trying times is an inspirational demonstration of the importance of sports to community spirits.
Thanks to David Green and the Nottingham Rugby Heritage Group
List of opposing clubs during the war:
• Army XV
• Austin Motors
• Coldstream Guards
• Combined Universities
• Derby Technical College
• Derbyshire Corsaires
• Grenadier Guards
• Lancashire Fusiliers
• Leicester Harlequins
• Leicestershire Army
• North Midlands Army
• Nottingham Payout
• OCTU Newark
• Various RAF Stations
• Various RAOC Stations
• Rolls Royce
• RAF XV
• Servicers XV
• Stoneygate
• Trent College
• Old Nottinghamians
• Loughborough Colleges