Johnny Hammond (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
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. Although not part of the 1899 tour to Australia, he was made the manager of the 1903 tour
. Despite captaining the British Isles, Hammond never represented England
.
, Yorkshire
in 1860 to James Hammond of Arncliffe
. He was educated at Uppingham School
and later Tonbridge School
before being accepted into Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1879, gaining a BA
in 1883. He was called to The Bar
in 1885, after taking an administrative legal role at Lincoln's Inn
from 1880, whilst still an undergraduate.
and in 1881 won a Cambridge Blue in a Varsity match. In 1891, Hammond was selected for the first official British Isles tour. The tour to South Africa was very successful for the tourists, with the British team winning all three tests; Hammond played in all of them. five years later, and now a 36 year old veteran, Hammond was selected for the second tour of South Africa. Hammond, now playing for Blackheath, was only one of two players to have played in a previous tour, the other being Froude Hancock
. Hammond was given the captaincy of the British team for the 1896 tour, but only lead the team out for the second test, in Johannesburg, and the final test played in Cape Town. The deputy captain was Tom Crean
, who is often seen as the de facto leader of the British Isles tourists. Although losing the last test, the Bristish team won the series 3-1; the last victory by the Lions in South Africa until 1974.
In 1903, a British team again toured South Africa. Led by Scotland's
Mark Morrison
, Hammond was selected as team manager. Although the tourists lost this series, Hammond's enthusiasm for South African rugby led to the IRB accepting the first touring South African team
in their 1906 tour of Great Britain.
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, although not capped 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...
, was part of three British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
tours, all to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He gained three caps during the 1891 tour to South Africa
1891 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1891 British Isles tour to South Africa was the first British Isles rugby union tour of South Africa and only the second overseas tour conducted by a joint British team. Between 9 July and 7 September, the team played 20 games, including three tests against the South Africa national rugby union...
and captained the 1896 tour
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...
, winning another two test caps. Although not part of the 1899 tour to Australia, he was made the manager of the 1903 tour
1903 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1903 British Isles tour to South Africa was the fifth tour by a British Isles team and the third to South Africa. It is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950....
. Despite captaining the British Isles, Hammond never represented 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...
.
Early life
Hammond was born in SkiptonSkipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in 1860 to James Hammond of Arncliffe
Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
Arncliffe is a small village and civil parish the largest of Littondale's four settlements. Littondale is a small valley beside Upper Wharfedale, 3 miles beyond Kilnsey and its famous crag...
. He was educated at Uppingham School
Uppingham School
Uppingham School is a co-educational independent school of the English public school tradition, situated in the small town of Uppingham in Rutland, England...
and later Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...
before being accepted into Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1879, gaining a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1883. He was called to The Bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1885, after taking an administrative legal role at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
from 1880, whilst still an undergraduate.
Rugby career
Hammond first came to note as a rugby player while at Cambridge where he played for Cambridge UniversityCambridge 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 in 1881 won a Cambridge Blue in a Varsity match. In 1891, Hammond was selected for the first official British Isles tour. The tour to South Africa was very successful for the tourists, with the British team winning all three tests; Hammond played in all of them. five years later, and now a 36 year old veteran, Hammond was selected for the second tour of South Africa. Hammond, now playing for Blackheath, was only one of two players to have played in a previous tour, the other being 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:...
. Hammond was given the captaincy of the British team for the 1896 tour, but only lead the team out for the second test, in Johannesburg, and the final test played in Cape Town. The deputy captain was Tom 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...
, who is often seen as the de facto leader of the British Isles tourists. Although losing the last test, the Bristish team won the series 3-1; the last victory by the Lions in South Africa until 1974.
In 1903, a British team again toured South Africa. Led by Scotland's
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...
Mark Morrison
Mark Coxon Morrison
Mark Coxon Morrison was a Scottish rugby union footballer who captained both Scotland and the British Isles. He played for Scotland twenty three times between 1896 and 1904, and captained the team fifteen times, a record which stood until the era of Arthur Smith, sixty years later...
, Hammond was selected as team manager. Although the tourists lost this series, Hammond's enthusiasm for South African rugby led to the IRB accepting the first touring South African 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...
in their 1906 tour of Great Britain.