William Cave (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
William Thomas Charles Cave (24 November 1882 – ?) was an English
international rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Cambridge
and Blackheath. Cave played international rugby for both the British Isles
and England
, and was also selected for invitational team the Barbarians
.
in 1882, and was educated at Tonbridge School
, before matriculating to Caius College, Cambridge
. He entered the legal profession, and was admitted to The Bar in 1907. He joined the business of E. F. Turner & Sons, of 115 Leadenhall Street
in London. With the outbreak of the First World War, Cave joined the British Army and reached the rank of Second Lieutenant
in the Inns of the Court Officers Training Regiment
. On the 25 April 1916 he was given the temporary rank of captain.
in the Varsity Match
, winning the first of three sporting 'Blues'. Cave was selected for the next two Varsity Match encounters, a loss in 1903, but a victory in the 1904 game. The 1904 match saw a far superior Cambridge pack, winning most of the scrummages and wheeling the Oxford forwards. Cave had an impressive game, and scored one of the Cambridge tries, when the pack pushed the ball over the line for Cave to dive on.
In 1903, while still a Cambridge player, Cave was approached to join the British Isles team on their tour of South Africa
. Cave was one of four Cambridge players on the tour, being joined by David Bedell-Sivright
, Thomas Gibson and Alfred Hind
. The tour took in 22 matches, mostly against regional and invitational teams, but also included three Test games against the South Africa national rugby union team
. Cave was a regular choice throughout the tour, missing just two games, and played in all three Tests. During the tour, Cave scored two tries
; his first was in the win over a Grahamstown team, but more importantly he scored one of two British tries in the First Test with South Africa, played in Johannesburg. The game ended in a draw.
On returning to Britain, Cave continued his rugby career, leaving University and joining first-class English team Blackheath. In the 1903/04 season, whilst still a Blackheath player, Cave was approached to join invitational tourists, the Barbarians. The nest season, Cave won his one and only international cap for England, when he was selected to face Wales
as part of the 1905 Home Nations Championship
. The game was a sporting disaster for England, facing one of the most impressive Welsh teams in the nation's history. Wales scored seven tries without reply, winning 25-0, England's largest losing points margin in a Championship match until their 12-27 loss to France in 1972.
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...
international 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 club rugby for Cambridge
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. Cave played international rugby for both the British Isles
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
and 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 was also selected for invitational team the Barbarians
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...
.
Personal history
Cave was born in CroydonCroydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
in 1882, and was educated at 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 matriculating to Caius College, Cambridge
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...
. He entered the legal profession, and was admitted to The Bar in 1907. He joined the business of E. F. Turner & Sons, of 115 Leadenhall Street
Leadenhall Street
Leadenhall Street is a street in the City of London, formerly part of the A11. It runs east from Cornhill to Aldgate, and west vice-versa. Aldgate Pump is at the junction with Aldgate...
in London. With the outbreak of the First World War, Cave joined the British Army and reached the rank of Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Inns of the Court Officers Training Regiment
Inns of Court Regiment
The Inns of Court Regiment was a British Army regiment which existed under that name between May 1932 and May 1961. However, the unit traces its lineage back much further, to at least 1584, and its name lives on within The Inns of Court & City and Essex Yeomanry .-History:The first organised...
. On the 25 April 1916 he was given the temporary rank of captain.
Rugby career
Cave first came to note as a rugby player when he was selected to play for Cambridge University. In 1902 he was selected for the Cambridge team to face Oxford UniversityOxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
in the Varsity Match
The 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...
, winning the first of three sporting 'Blues'. Cave was selected for the next two Varsity Match encounters, a loss in 1903, but a victory in the 1904 game. The 1904 match saw a far superior Cambridge pack, winning most of the scrummages and wheeling the Oxford forwards. Cave had an impressive game, and scored one of the Cambridge tries, when the pack pushed the ball over the line for Cave to dive on.
In 1903, while still a Cambridge player, Cave was approached to join the British Isles team on their tour of South Africa
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....
. Cave was one of four Cambridge players on the tour, being joined by David Bedell-Sivright
David Bedell-Sivright
David Revell "Darkie" Bedell-Sivright was a Scottish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge and Edinburgh Universities. Bedell-Sivright was one of the true characters of the sport of rugby and was chosen to lead a British Isles team on a tour of Australia...
, Thomas Gibson and Alfred Hind
Alfred Hind
Alfred Ernest Hind was an English sportsman who played first-class cricket for Cambridge University and represented England at rugby union.-Personal history:...
. The tour took in 22 matches, mostly against regional and invitational teams, but also included three Test games against the South Africa national rugby union 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...
. Cave was a regular choice throughout the tour, missing just two games, and played in all three Tests. During the tour, Cave scored two 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...
; his first was in the win over a Grahamstown team, but more importantly he scored one of two British tries in the First Test with South Africa, played in Johannesburg. The game ended in a draw.
On returning to Britain, Cave continued his rugby career, leaving University and joining first-class English team Blackheath. In the 1903/04 season, whilst still a Blackheath player, Cave was approached to join invitational tourists, the Barbarians. The nest season, Cave won his one and only international cap for England, when he was selected to face Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
as part of the 1905 Home Nations Championship
1905 Home Nations Championship
The 1905 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-third series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 14 January and 18 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
. The game was a sporting disaster for England, facing one of the most impressive Welsh teams in the nation's history. Wales scored seven tries without reply, winning 25-0, England's largest losing points margin in a Championship match until their 12-27 loss to France in 1972.