Yorkshire XV: How would an all-time team of players born in God's Own County look?

Rugby News
Tuesday, 25 September 2018 at 13:12
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While Yorkshire has always been a regional hotbed of rugby, the county has often been more focussed on rugby league.
However, when looking at the players who have come from there down the years it's clear and obvious there is still a love for the union side of the game.
Here is a starting 15 of the best rugby union players from Yorkshire:

Fullback: Jason Robinson

Born in Leeds, the 44-year-old was a English dual-code international in rugby league, and rugby union throughout 1990s and 2000s.
Playing as a wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international caps for England, winning the World Cup in 2003, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain, and seven for England.

Winger: Rory Underwood

The winger, born in Middlesborough, starred for the British & Irish Lions, England, Leicester Tigers and the Royal Air Force. He still holds the record for the highest number of tries in England colours with a total of 49.

Centre: Sir Ian Mcgeechan

McGeechan was born in Leeds to a Glaswegian father, going onto represent Scotland 32 times while also winning 8 caps for the British & Irish Lions across two tours (1975 & 1977).
It was a coach that he really made his name, being a part of five British & Irish Lions tours while also having roles at Wasps, Northampton, Scotland and Yorkshire Carnegie down the years.

Centre: Mike Tindall

Arguably one of England's most consistent performers of his era, Mike Tindall, who was born in Otley, was a key member of the side that captured the Rugby World Cup crown in 2003. But his career, which was at times a stop-start affair because of injury.

Winger: John Bentley

The speedster was a big, fast and aggressive wing who played four times for England between 1988 - 1999. Inbetween he switched codes and played international rugby league for Great Britain while representing Leeds, Halifax and a short stint with Balmain in Australia.
After rugby union turned professional he reverted back to it- a code in which he had made his international debut against Ireland in 1988 - and signed for the Newcastle Falcons before touring with the British & Irish Lions in 1997.

Fly-half: Rob Andrew

Nicknamed "Squeaky", is a former English international and was, until April 2016, Professional Rugby Director at the RFU. He was formerly the Director of Rugby of Newcastle Falcons and has been Chief Executive of Sussex County Cricket Club since January 2017.
As a player, Andrew was assured in his kicking and defensive skills off both feet, playing for; Nottingham, Wasps, Toulouse and Newcastle Falcons He also toured with the British & Irish Lions in 1989 and 1993.

Scrum-half: Danny Care

Born in Leeds, the playmaker started his career with his hometown club before joining Harlequins. He's become one of England’s most capped scrum-halves in their history and was a key member of the 2016/17 world record setting win streak, as well as the back-to-back RBS Six Nations titles.

Prop: Frank Whitcombe Jnr

The powerful scrummager was the youngest player to play for Yorkshire making his debut for the county as a prop forward at age 17 years, he went on to make 31 appearances for Yorkshire in the County Championship, including the County Championship Final of 1963.

Hooker: Brian Moore

Moore was born to single mother Rina Kirk in Birmingham. Abandoned by his father, his mother gave him up for adoption at 7 months old to Methodist lay preachers Ralph (deceased) and Dorothy Moore, who moved to Halifax, West Yorkshire. He went onto be one of England's finest ever hookers, winning 64 caps. Moore also toured twice with the British & Irish Lions in 1989 and 1993.

Prop: John Robins

Lock: Dom Barrow

Lock: Mike Campbell-Lamerton

Flanker: Peter Dixon

Flanker: Peter Winterbottom

Born in Horsforth, West Yorkshire in 1960, he played in 58 tests for England, winning two Grand Slams (’91 & ’93) and reaching the World Cup final in 1991. He toured with the British and Irish Lions to New Zealand in 1983 and 1993, playing in 19 games including 7 tests.

Number 8: Tim Rodber

The 49-year-old, who was born in Richmond, played at Number eight, flanker or lock for Northampton Saints, England, and the British and Irish Lions.

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