Alexander Todd (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Findlater Todd (20 September 1873 – 21 April 1915) was an English
rugby union
forward who played for Cambridge University
and Blackheath F.C. at club level, and Kent at county level. Todd played international rugby for England
and later represented the British Isles team
on their 1896 tour of South Africa
.
Todd was an all-round sportsman, captaining his school team in association football and playing cricket
for Berkshire
in 23 Minor Counties Cricket Championship
matches between 1910 and 1913. The Wisden
obituaries of 1915 refer to Todd as a '...capital wicket keeper'.
in 1873 to Bruce Beveridge Todd, a wine merchant from Forest Hill, and Phoebe Brooker. He was educated at Mill Hill School
before matriculating to Caius College
in 1892. He received his BA in 1892, and after leaving university he joined the British Army, and saw action in the Second Boer War
with both Roberts' Horse and Carrington's
Horse. He rose to the rank of squadron leader during the campaign and was wounded in action. On his return to Britain he set up in business in London, and on 2 December 1902 he married Alice Mary Crean, sister of Thomas Joseph Crean
with whom Todd toured South Africa in 1896.
In 1914 he joined the special Reserve Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment and reached the rank of captain whilst serving in France during the First World War. In 1915, Todd was part of the British assault on Hill 60
at Ypres Salient
. He was seriously wounded during the action and died of his injuries on the 21 April. His remains are buried at Poperinge Old Military Cemetery.
, collecting his sporting 'Blues' between 1893 and 1895. On leaving University he joined Blackheath, and would later becoming a leading member of the Kent county team, and was invited to join the touring Barbarian
team in 1894.
Todd spent the major portion of his rugby career with first class English team, Blackheath F.C., and was representing the club when he was approached by team-mate Johnny Hammond
to join the 1896 British Isles tour of South Africa. Todd was one of four Blackheath players on the tour, along with Hammond, Matthew Mullineux
and Froude Hancock
. Todd played in all four Tests against the South African national team
, which ended in three wins for the tourists, and a loss in the final game played at Cape Town. In the Second Test, which the British team won by the largest margin, all three tries
came from forward positions, one of them was scored by Todd; his first and only international points.
On his return to Britain, Todd rejoined Blackheath, and was still a club member when four years later he was capped by his country as part of the 1900 Home Nations Championship
. In the opening match of the tournament against Wales, the English selectors had gambled on 13 new caps, and lost the game. In the second game of the series, played against Ireland
at the Athletic Ground in Richmond, Todd was given his chance, and he was brought into a more stable side than the previous match. England won 15-4. Todd was then reselected for the final game of the Championship, an away encounter with Scotland
. The game was extremely tight, with the English halves reluctant to bring the backs into play, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw. As Scotland were the holders of the Calcutta Cup
, the draw meant they retained the trophy, and England finished second in the Championship behind Wales. Todd was not reselected the next season and never represented his country in rugby again.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
forward who played for Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
and Blackheath F.C. at club level, and Kent at county level. Todd played international rugby for England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
and later represented the British Isles team
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
on their 1896 tour of South Africa
1896 British Lions tour to South Africa
1896 British Isles tour to South Africa was a rugby union tour undertaken by the British Isles, one of the first British and Irish Lions tours. The team toured South Africa for the second time in 1896. Between July 11 and September 5, they played 21 games, including four tests against South Africa...
.
Todd was an all-round sportsman, captaining his school team in association football and playing cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for Berkshire
Berkshire County Cricket Club
Berkshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Berkshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and MCCA Knockout Trophy....
in 23 Minor Counties Cricket Championship
Minor Counties Cricket Championship
The Minor Counties Cricket Championship is a season-long competition in England that is contested by those county cricket clubs that do not have first-class status...
matches between 1910 and 1913. The Wisden
Wisden
The Wisden Group was a group of companies formed by John Wisden & Co Ltd, publishers of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. As well as John Wisden & Co, the group included the The Wisden Cricketer magazine, Cricinfo – the world's highest traffic cricket website – and the Hawk-Eye computerised...
obituaries of 1915 refer to Todd as a '...capital wicket keeper'.
Personal history
Todd was born in LewishamLewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
in 1873 to Bruce Beveridge Todd, a wine merchant from Forest Hill, and Phoebe Brooker. He was educated at Mill Hill School
Mill Hill School
Mill Hill School, in Mill Hill, London, is a coeducational independent school for boarding and day pupils aged 13–18. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, an organisation of public schools in the United Kingdom....
before matriculating to Caius College
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
in 1892. He received his BA in 1892, and after leaving university he joined the British Army, and saw action in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
with both Roberts' Horse and Carrington's
Frederick Carrington
Major General Sir Frederick Carrington KCB, KCMG , was a British soldier and friend of Cecil John Rhodes...
Horse. He rose to the rank of squadron leader during the campaign and was wounded in action. On his return to Britain he set up in business in London, and on 2 December 1902 he married Alice Mary Crean, sister of Thomas Joseph Crean
Thomas Joseph Crean
Major Dr. Thomas Joseph Crean, VC, DSO was an Irish rugby union player, British Army soldier and doctor. During the Second Boer War, while serving with the Imperial Light Horse, he was awarded the Victoria Cross. His VC medal is displayed at the Army Medical Services Museum...
with whom Todd toured South Africa in 1896.
In 1914 he joined the special Reserve Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment and reached the rank of captain whilst serving in France during the First World War. In 1915, Todd was part of the British assault on Hill 60
Battle of Hill 60 (Western Front)
The Battle of Hill 60 was an Australian assault that was subsidiary to the Battle of Neuve Chapelle.-1914-15:Hill 60 was a low rise on the southern flank of the Ypres Salient and was named for the 60 metre contour which marked its bounds. Hill 60 was not a natural highpoint, but was created as a...
at Ypres Salient
Ypres Salient
The Ypres Salient is the area around Ypres in Belgium which was the scene of some of the biggest battles in World War I.In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. Therefore, the salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops...
. He was seriously wounded during the action and died of his injuries on the 21 April. His remains are buried at Poperinge Old Military Cemetery.
Rugby career
Todd was a keen sportsman from a young age, and while at school at Mill Hill he captained both the football and rugby team. On entering Cambridge, he continued his passion for sport and was selected for the Cambridge University team. He played in three University Varsity MatchesThe Varsity Match
The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...
, collecting his sporting 'Blues' between 1893 and 1895. On leaving University he joined Blackheath, and would later becoming a leading member of the Kent county team, and was invited to join the touring Barbarian
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
team in 1894.
Todd spent the major portion of his rugby career with first class English team, Blackheath F.C., and was representing the club when he was approached by team-mate Johnny Hammond
Johnny Hammond (rugby player)
John "Johnny" Hammond was an English rugby union forward who, although not capped for England, was part of three British Lions tours, all to South Africa. He gained three caps during the 1891 tour to South Africa and captained the 1896 tour, winning another two test caps...
to join the 1896 British Isles tour of South Africa. Todd was one of four Blackheath players on the tour, along with Hammond, Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux MC was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia...
and Froude Hancock
Froude Hancock
Philip Froude Hancock universally known as Froude Hancock was an English rugby union forward who played international rugby for the British Isles XV on two tours, the 1891 and 1896 tour of South Africa.-Personal life:...
. Todd played in all four Tests against the South African national team
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
, which ended in three wins for the tourists, and a loss in the final game played at Cape Town. In the Second Test, which the British team won by the largest margin, all three tries
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
came from forward positions, one of them was scored by Todd; his first and only international points.
On his return to Britain, Todd rejoined Blackheath, and was still a club member when four years later he was capped by his country as part of the 1900 Home Nations Championship
1900 Home Nations Championship
The 1900 Home Nations Championship was the eighteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 6 January and 17 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
. In the opening match of the tournament against Wales, the English selectors had gambled on 13 new caps, and lost the game. In the second game of the series, played against Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
at the Athletic Ground in Richmond, Todd was given his chance, and he was brought into a more stable side than the previous match. England won 15-4. Todd was then reselected for the final game of the Championship, an away encounter with Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
. The game was extremely tight, with the English halves reluctant to bring the backs into play, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw. As Scotland were the holders of the Calcutta Cup
Calcutta Cup
The Calcutta Cup is a rugby union trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Six Nations Championship match between England and Scotland. It is currently England's since the 2009 Six Nations Championship....
, the draw meant they retained the trophy, and England finished second in the Championship behind Wales. Todd was not reselected the next season and never represented his country in rugby again.