The rugby and sporting career of 

JIM UNWIN

Earnest James Unwin, 1912 - 2003

(Rosslyn Park, Eastern Counties, The Army, Barbarians, England and British Lions)

Quick Links - HAILEYBURY SCHOOL  -  THE ARMY  -  1936 BRITISH TOUR OF ARGENTINA  -  ENGLAND TRIALS  -   ENGLAND  -  ROSSLYN PARK  -  1938 BRITISH LIONS  -  WARTIME  -  CRICKET CAREER  -  POST WAR

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...................................As a commissioned officer in the Middlesex Regiment he had already played for the Army in the Inter-Services tournament and was a renowned club player for Rosslyn Park before he made the first of his seven appearances for the Barbarians on the Easter tour of 1935. He became a great favourite with the Baa-Baa’s; the following year he scored a hat-trick of tries against Penarth and three days later scored twice against Swansea at St Helen’s..........................

....................................His first taste of top-class representative rugby was in the closing months of 1935 when he played three times against the touring All Blacks (illustrated playing against London Counties). He made a good impression on his opponents when scoring a try for the Combined Services against them at Aldershot. Two of the All Blacks, C J Oliver and E N Tindill, later wrote a book on the tour and they noted that Unwin “was a very fine player, being of good physique and over six feet in height. He ran round his [opposite number] Hart on a number of occasions and always looked dangerous when in possession”..................................

.............................Unwin was still uncapped by England when he was selected to go on a British tour of Argentina in the summer of 1936. This was an important odyssey often overlooked by historians of British Lions tours. Managed by Douglas Prentice, who had led the Lions to Australia and New Zealand in 1930, and captained by the outstanding scrum-half Bernard Gadney, the British team played 10 matches in Argentina and attracted large crowds and extensive publicity in the local papers......................................

...............................In a team of seven English, two Scottish and two Irish internationals, Jim Unwin played as well as anyone. He opened the tour in spectacular style by scoring four tries in the team’s 55-0 victory over Buenos Aires Football Club. It was reported in ‘The Buenos Aires Herald’ that “Unwin was a very great power in the three-quarter line, and his pace and swerve made him most difficult to stop…and he handled very well”. This was praise, indeed, in a touring party that included (such) established stars of the game such as Prince Obolensky and the mercurial Scot, Wilson Shaw. As the tour progressed he was to score five tries in one match against Pacific Railway A C and another hat-trick against Belgrano. In all he scored 17 tries, including one in the 23-nil British win over Argentina on 16 August 1936 . The compliments came thick and fast with the ‘Herald’ noting at various times that he “was probably as fast as anything seen on local grounds” and also that “as usual [he] stood out among the three-quarter line and was a most difficult player to stop”........................................

.....................................The Lions of 1938 entranced South Africa with their back-play. This was hardly surprising as they had Vivian Jenkins at full back, threequarters of pace and ingenuity like Roy Leyland, Bill Clement and Elvet Jones and brilliant half-backs such as the Englishman Frank Reynolds and the legendary Welsh prodigy, Haydn Tanner.

Appropriately, Jim Unwin scored the first two tries of the tour against Border at East London and the ‘Sunday Tribune’ reported that “Unwin on the wing for Britain will score many tries on this tour. His two today were classic efforts. The first of them was a dazzling in and out run in which he beat two or three men with only inches in which to work, and to score the second he put in a lightning burst for the line, handing-off Bunny Reid before running around”.  

................................Like many others, Jim Unwin’s international career was curtailed by the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939. He continued to play rugby whenever his military duties allowed, appearing in two Red Cross internationals against Wales in 1939-40 and two more Services’ internationals against Scotland and Wales in 1943. He also won selection for the England & Wales combined team against their Scotland & Ireland counterparts in the Four Countries’ match of 1939 and played twice for the Barbarians in the early years of the war. Jim Unwin retired from the Army in October 1949 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and joined the family business of corn and seed merchants and farmers................................   

IN THE ARMY The Royal Military College Sandhurst was the next stage of Jim's continuing education. Early morning parades, polishing boots, square bashing, gymnastics and weapon drill were the regular lessons on Jim's timetable as the British Army prepared him for the inevitable hostilities. However, it wasn't all work and no play, there was a fine tradition of sport in Sandhurst and rugby was top of the agenda, especially the annual clash with the Royal Military Academy Woolwich. Jim was to play his part in the College's domination of this fixture during the early 1930s crossing his opponents goal line for his customary inclusion on the score sheet.
Early days at Sandhurst (WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0036)	Early morning start (WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0033)	In the papers - Jim is at the telegraph in the uniform. (WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0022b)
Jim's Sandhurst cap (WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0001)
Sandhurst College v Woolwich Academy 1931 match programme, signed menu & match report. Jim scored the first & last tries in a record 36-0 victory.   (WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0024 & 0025 & 0034)	1932 match action  (WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0028, 0033, 0029,)	Jim makes the papers the next day & match report from the Rugby Football Annual (WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0022a, 0034)
Athletics Army style, note the 'recruits beneath the hurdles holding them down, Jim is far left leading the race. (WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0023)

Jim tackling an opponent, playing here for United Services Portsmouth

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JIM AND THE 1935/6 ALL BLACKS

Jim played three times against the 1935/6 All Blacks, the first occasion was for the Combined Services where he scored a try in the narrow 6 - 5 defeat, then twice for the London Counties, 2nd November where they lost 11 - 0 and on Boxing Day, 26th December 1935, the All Blacks winning comfortably on this occasion 24 - 5.

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This illustration is taken from Cliff Jones' book 'Rugby Football, first published in 1937. it shows "A fine picture of a wing three-quarter in action - E.J. Unwin about to round H Brown. Note the ball is carried under the right arm, leaving the left arm free for the hand off." The photo was taken during one of the London Counties v All Blacks matches at Twickenham.

THE 1936 BRITISH TOUR OF SOUTH AMERICA

Jim Unwin travelled to Argentina with the 1936 British team. Although tagged as a side that 'represented' Britain, the squad of 23 players was made up mostly of English players with a handful of Scots and Irish thrown in. The 10 matches on the tour were won easily as the British backs played havoc with the opposition on the hard and fast grounds of the host nation. Jim was in outstanding form on the tour end up the top try scorer with 18 tries including 5 in one game. 

In the days before the aeroplane, the only way for a touring team to travel was by ship. The outward journey for the 1936 British team was made on the Blue Star Line's Andalucia Star, a 15,000 ton liner / deluxe mail steamer. The team were accommodated in first class and several activities were available on board including 'race meetings'. Normal practice for rugby touring teams was light training, forward drills and team practice on the deck to keep the team in trim and prime them ready for an arduous tour. Sailing from London, during the 20 day journey the liner stopped off at the following posts of call Boulogne, Lisbon, Madeira, Teneriffe, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Montevideo before terminating at Buenos Aires.   The Andalucia Star was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of Africa on October 6th 1942 while travelling from Buenos Aires to Liverpool by the German submarine U107.
Passenger lists, on board race meetings & celebration dinners (WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0056 & 0057 & 0058 & 0059)	The "Crossing the Line" ceremony on board the SS Andalucia Star, This is an ancient ceremony performed when a ship crosses the equator. Photo illustration - a fancy dress party on board (WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0015 & 0054)

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Born in St Petersburg, Russia on the 17th February 1916 he was the son of Princess Luba and Prince Sergei Alexandrovich Obolensky, an officer in the Tsar's Imperial Horse Guards. In only his second year, the family, fearing their safety during the Russian Revolution fled to England. Initially raised in Muswell Hill, London he was schooled firstly at Ashe Boys Preparatory School, Etwall, Derbyshire, then in 1929 he moved to Trent School, Long Eaton, Derbyshire. It was here that he learned his rugby alongside EL Burton & J Harrison, together they formed a three-quarter line that won high plaudits when in the 1932 invincible season the team amassed 539 points, conceding only 22. 

His education continued at Brasenose College, Oxford where he gained his blue in the 1935 Varsity match. His amazing try saving tackle in a scoreless draw gained the attention of the England selectors who offered him a place on the right wing in the final trial at Twickenham on 21st December . Jim was moved over to the left wing and Obo outshone his team mate to gain selection against the All Blacks. Obolensky was still a Russian citizen when he played against the All Blacks, it is said that the Prince of Wales when introduced to the young Russian before the match questioned his right to wear the red rose of England. 

Obolensky's two tries however turned him into an instant Englishman as far as the 72,000 crowd at Twickenham were concerned. The second, a diagonal run from deep inside his own half is considered by some to be the greatest try ever scored for England. The appearance of the 'Movietone News' cameras to record his feat helped to promote his achievement and resulting fame as the news footage was shown through the cinemas of England. 

The Prince played a further three times for England that season, failing to cross the try line again. He was selected for the 1936 British tour of the Argentine and is credited with having scored 17 tries in a single match against a Brazilian XV in an unofficial match. He continued his education at Oxford and in 1937 he joined Jim at Rosslyn Park. At the outbreak of the war he enlisted in the Royal Air Force. His last rugby match was for England in the war time charity match against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park on 9th March 1940.

Twenty days later while landing his Hawker Hurricane on a training exercise at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk he overshot the runway and broke his neck in the resulting crash. He died later that day, aged 24, becoming the first international rugby player to lose his life in World War II.   

* The personal message attributed to Obo could possibly be from Tuppy Owen-Smith whose signature also appears below this message

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JIM THE CLUBMAN - PLAYING FOR ROSSLYN PARK

Apart from a short spell at Devonport Services, Jim played his club rugby exclusively for Rosslyn Park. The earliest we have found him in Park colours is a match against Bedford in 1932, he would have been 20 years old at the time. 

Rosslyn Park 1934-5

(This photo and match reports below courtesy of Rosslyn Park FC historian David E Whittam)

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 EASTERN COUNTIES

The Eastern Counties cap of Jim Unwin

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Somerset v Eastern Counties 2nd Feb 1935.  Jim and his brother Frederick are playing in this County Championship semi-final at Bridgwater. Jim has moved to the centre on this occasion. The RF Annual of 1935-6 states that Eastern Counties had three decent wings but only one centre. Eastern Counties lost this match 11 - 6 after leading 6 - 5 at half time. This was the first time that Eastern Counties reached the semi-final stage of the Championship. Somerset went on to play Lancashire in the final but were defeated at the Recreation Ground in Bath by 14 points to nil. The back cover of the programme advertises The Army v Territorial Army match to be played on 23rd Feb. Jim appears for the Army in this match and he scored two tries in the 18 - 3 victory.  (WRM-RR)

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AN ENGLAND TRIAL FOR UNWIN............. 

Jim's first trial was at Headingley in 1934, English trials during the 1930s took the format of those most likely to be selected playing in the England or 'Probables' team with those not in The Rest or 'Possibles' team. Three trials were played as a rule in Decemeber/early January, one in the North of England, one in the South of England and the final trial at Twickenham. Jim regularly played in the England/Probable team but for some reason was overlooked on numerous occasions until he finally won his cap in 1937, after starring in a Services fixture. His biggest disappointed was after two outstanding performance against the 1935 All Blacks he was overlooked in place of a young Oxford University student, one Prince Alexander Obolensky. Luckily for the selectors their judgement proved correct because Obolensky went on to destroy the All Blacks with two superb tries. 

An England trial team with Jim second from the right in the back row, on his shoulder is Prince 'Obo'

Jim's England Trial Cap

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ON INTERNATIONAL DUTY - JIM UNWIN for ENGLAND

                   

Opposition	Date	Venue	Score
Scotland	20th Mar 1937	Murrayfield	6 - 3 (1 try)	(WRM-enpy-eju-1937-0088)
Wales	15th Jan 1938	Cardiff	8 - 14	Jim pictured on the left (with moustache) together with Cranmer & Heaton at the 1935 England v Wales dinner
Ireland	12th Feb 1938	Lansdowne Rd	36 - 14 (1 try)
Scotland	19th Mar 1938	Twickenham	16 - 21 (1 try)

  

ON TOUR AGAIN........

THE 1938 BRITISH LIONS TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA

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Itinerary

Major HBT Wakelam laments the missing players in the South African magazine "The Outspan" - "One cannot help opening this trailer to the forthcoming tour of a British rugger side on a note of regret - regret that through business and other reasons we are unable to send out the real, full force of our rugger representation. I do not, in point of fact consider that the game in our islands is at the moment at a particularly high peak, but our recently concluded international programme has clearly indicated at any rate we have plenty of latent scoring power and, alas! our most brilliant gap makers and runners-in, men like RW Shaw and RCS Dick, of Scotland, W Wooller and Cliff Jones, of Wales, and FG Morgan, the sprinter from Ireland, have all had to be omitted. Many sterling forward names are missing too - HB Toft, the English hooker, who has secured almost a monopoly of the ball in the three big games this year, his fellow front row stalwarts, RE Prescott and the veteran RJ Longland, TF Hoskisson, WH Crawford, DLK Milman and W Vickery - in fact, one could write down a representative team of those staying behind ! It is a great pity, but with business and so on as it is an unavoidable one." 

Paul Roos the 1906 Springbok captain was also eager to point out the lack of stars in the British camp in the same publication "True, we regret the absence of outstanding me like Cliff Jones & Wooller, the star fly half and centre respectively, of Wales; Shaw, Dick & Crawford, the fly half, centre and loose forward who were mainly responsible for Scotland's unbeaten record this year; Server, England's speediest wing, and Toft not only England's but probably Great Britain's fines hooker."  he went on to opine that 'Boks should not be lulled into a false sense of security following the victory over the All Blacks "Reviewing the team as a whole I am confident that we shall be fully extended and quite possibly overshadowed in more than one test. One thing is very sure, and that is we must not allow ourselves to be lulled into security by our successes in the Antipodes. We are very proud of the record of 'our boys' there both on and off the field, and we appeal to them to 'go and do likewise' this season. 'Win or lose, play the open, bright type of football which you demonstrated so conclusively during your 1937 tour in Australia and specially in New Zealand' 

Jim however, was a definate first choice wing three-quarter for the tour, despite only four starts at full international level, a scoring record of 75% in these matches plus a fantastic total of 17 tries on the Argentinian tour 2 years previous left the selectors in no doubt that he was a potent scoring force waiting to be unleashed on the veldt. Wakelam sums up Jim and the English threequarters in his preview "Of the Englishmen, BE Nicholson, FJ Reynolds, JL Giles and EJ Unwin were first choices for this season's internationals and all are well worthy of their places." He goes on to say "EJ Unwin on the right wing will almost certainly be a No 1 selection. He may not be exceptionally fast, but, like Clement, he runs with rare determination and very few try scoring chances are allowed to slip by him. His defence too, is impeccable, for he rarely fails to bring his man down hard and low. Another county cricketer and a sub-altern in the Middlesex Regiment, 'Jim' Unwin was one of the party which recently toured the Argentine."  In the an article by R Cove-Smith, captain of the 1924 British tourists in South Africa he names Unwin in his 'first choice' line up of Jenkins, Clement, Nicholson, Macrae, Unwin, Reynolds, Morgan, Watkins, Travers, Inglis, Walker, Couchman, Taylor, Duff & Alexander. 

The team was captained by the experienced Irish forward Sammy Walker and managed by Major BC Hartley.

GILBERT MATCH MINIATURES<