Robert Victor Stirling (1919–1991) was an English rugby union player. He represented England from 1951 to 1954.[1] He also captained his country.[1] He played club rugby for Aylestone St James, Leicester Tigers and Wasps.[2]
| Birth name | Robert Victor Stirling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 4 September 1919 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Lichfield, Staffordshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 15 January 1991 (aged 71) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Halton, Buckinghamshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | RAF Officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In his working life he was an RAF officer stationed at Cranwell.[3]
Rugby union career
editOriginally from Sheffield,[4] Stirling was stationed mainly in India during the second World War & played station rugby at RAF Cranwell before joining Aylestone St James, a club local to Leicester, from there he progressed to Leicester Tigers' 'A' side and into the First XV in 1948.[3] He made his club debut on 4 September 1948 at Welford Road against Bedford, and settled into the first team at lock forward.[5] Stirling played for Leicester until his work in the Air Force saw him move to the Air Ministry in London, where Saturday morning work commitments meant continuing for Leicester was impossible.[6] His final game for Leicester was on 4 April 1953, against Bristol on Leicester's Easter tour.[7]
He played prop for the RAF after a suggestion from George Beamish, and in this position he gained all his England caps.[3]
Stirling made his international debut on 20 January 1951 at St Helen's, Swansea in the Wales vs England match.[1] Despite publicly speculating on retiring after the 1952-53 season,[8] he was named as the England captain for the 1954 Five Nations Championship.[9] He played his final match for England on 10 April 1954 at Colombes in the France vs England match.[1] Of the 18 matches he played for his national side he was on the winning side on 10 occasions.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Bob Stirling Profile on scrum.com
- ^ Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David. "Bob Stirling Pen Portrait". Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby Development Foundation. p. 428. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.
- ^ a b c Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David. "Post War Recovery". Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby Development Foundation. p. 120. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.
- ^ "Sheffielder in England Rugger team". Star Green 'Un. Johnstone Press. 20 January 1951. p. 12.
- ^ Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David. "Post War Recovery". Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby DevelopmentFoundation. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.
- ^ Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David. "At a stand still". Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby Development Foundation. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.
- ^ Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David. "At a stand still". Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby Development Foundation. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.
- ^ "Retire? Depends how I feel". Nottingham Journal. 24 February 1953. p. 6.
- ^ "Bob Stirling Skipper at Twickenham - Five new caps in England line up". Leicester Evening Mail. 4 January 1954. p. 15.