Exclusive: England Rugby to award retrospective caps to 47 players

Leicester legend John Wells will finally be rid of the mantle as ‘one of the best forwards never to be capped by England’ following the RFU’s decision to take the lead of Scottish Rugby Union and award retrospective caps for selected matches between 1971 and 1993.

Wells, a brilliant back-row forward, is one of a group of 47 players to be honoured this way, with his appearance for an England XV vs Italy in 1990 now upgraded. Orrell man-mountain, Bob Kimmins, is another member of the England team that won 33-15 in Rovigo to benefit from the heritage initiative.

The two Tests on the 1993 tour of Canada, when England had 16 senior players away on Lions duty, are the most recent matches to have caps retrospectively awarded.

Wells’ former RFU colleague and man of Newcastle, John Fletcher, is one of a quartet of players on the list. Fletcher, a centre in his playing days with Tynedale, was unfortunate to be on the scene at the same time as Will Carling and Jeremy Guscott but will now join the one-cap club.

Fletcher, who is back at Newcastle after a spell with the SRU, came on for Harlequins fly-half Paul Challinor, who is also honoured, in the second of the matches against Canada, a 19-14 win in Ottawa.

Bristol’s Andy Blackmore impressed in both matches as Martin Johnson’s second-row partner and will now be rewarded, as will former Cambridge University and Wasps full-back/wing Alan Buzza.

Buzza’s now Test career must be one of the shortest yet. The former Cambridge University and Wasps full-back/wing lasted just five minutes of the first game against Canada, a 15-12 defeat in Vancouver, before he was knocked out and replaced.

The list of new caps includes a fair few West Country warriors, such as Bristol pair Nigel Pomphrey and the late John Doubleday, Gloucester lock John Gadd and Somerset farmer, Richard Lee (christened Morris Richard Lee), who was always surrounded by England internationals in the great Bath team of the ’80s.

“It’s quite strange after all this time, but it’s lovely to join the ranks of the rest,” the prop told RugbyPass.

One of Lee’s England XV teammates from the 1986 game against Italy, fly-half, Simon Smith, is one of 28 players the RFU are still trying to catch up with, or make contact with their families, ahead of the capping ceremony, which will be held at the World Rugby Museum, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, later this year.

The RFU say the retrospective honours acknowledge players who took to the field for the best available England men’s senior side in sanctioned matches dating back to 1945, adding: “Many of these fixtures were classified differently under historical regulations, such as Victory Internationals, select tour matches or one-off representative games, meaning players who played for England did not receive caps despite competing against national XVs from other major rugby nations.

“These retrospective caps correct this historical oversight and honours the commitment, skill and service of the players who proudly wore the rose.”

Rob Udwin Immediate Past President said: “These players represented England with distinction, often in challenging post-war circumstances or on demanding overseas tours. They wore the rose, faced full international opposition, and demonstrated the same pride and commitment as any fully capped England player.

“It is only right that we formally acknowledge their achievements. These caps are a long overdue honour, and we look forward to celebrating these individuals and their families as we place their names into the permanent history of English rugby.”

To be eligible for a retrospective cap, players must have played in the best available England men’s team in fixtures against another nation’s full or best-available XV that are formally recognised in RFU archives and historical records, whilst not being capped before and after these matches.

RugbyPass has learnt that the list will be held separately from official England full caps, ensuring chronological cap numbers, records and player statistics remain unaffected. However, numbering may follow sequentially from the last full cap.

As things stand, the RFU will be awarding caps to the following players:

Dave Robinson- 1971
JD Gray – 1971
Peter J Hendy- 1973
Dave J Carfoot- 1977
Gary NJ Cox- 1977
KM Bushell- 1978
Chris J Gifford -1978
R John Doubleday- 1979
Nigel JC Pomphrey- 1979
Toby J Allchurch- 1979
Neil H McDowell- 1982
John DG Gadd- 1982
MR Lee – 1986
Andy W Simpson- 1986
Peter J Buckton- 1986
Robert Kimmins- 1990
John Wells- 1990
Alan J Buzza- 1993
Andy G Blackmore- 1993

Meanwhile, the RFU have been unable to make contact with the following players or the families of the following players who qualify for a retrospective cap:

GH Pateman -1945
DL Marriot -1945
GA Hollis -1945
WO Chadwick- -1945
HR Peel -1945
G Hudson -1945
E Bole -1945
HF Greasley -1946
NJ Stock -1946
CG Gilthorpe -1946
JW Thornton -1946
HJM Uren -1946
S Peel -1946
FP Dunkley -1946
FCH Hill -1946
Mike Hannell- 1971
JM Broderick- 1971
Nigel R French- 1977
Jeff AH Bell- 1977
IG Peck- 1979
John L Butler- 1979
Alan L McMillan- 1979
Eddie Bell- 1984
Stuart B Redfern- 1984
SM Smith- 1986
JM Goodwin -1986
AP Challinor 1993
John Fletcher – 1993

If you are able to assist the RFU in their search, please email museum@rfu.com.