Harry Vassall
Encyclopedia
Henry Vassall was an English
rugby union
player, best known as a centre for Oxford University
. Vassall played international rugby for England
in the early years of the sport, winning five caps and scoring a hat-trick of tries in the first encounter between England and Wales.
While at Oxford University Vassall led the university rugby side to 70 matches without defeat during his three year captaincy. His belief that the forward players should work in unison with their backs was revolutionary to the game of rugby and changed the way that rugby was played at club and country level. He is recognised as one of the most important figures in the early development of the sport.
district, in 1860, the son of William Vassall and his wife Martha Ann. His father was a rector originally from Great Wigston in Leicestershire, his mother a native of Leeds
, who was fifteen years her husband's junior. Just after Harry (named Henry) was born, his family, including his two older siblings William and Margaret, moved to Hardington Mandeville
in Somerset
where his father took up the post of rector of the parish. Henry's mother had been just nineteen when his eldest brother William was born in 1858, and Margaret and Henry had followed in successive years. After moving to Hardington, Henry's family continued to grow at a prodigious rate and between 1861 and 1882 Henry gained a further twelve siblings, the last of which was Leonard born in 1882 when Martha was forty-two. This was the year before Henry's father's death in 1883. Henry was educated at Marlborough College
before matriculating to Hertford College, Oxford
in 1879.
in its impact on the emergence of rugby. He continued playing at Oxford, and he was part of the Oxford University team in the 1879 Varsity Match
, gaining his first sporting 'Blue'. Vassall played in the 1880 Varsity Match and the same season was made the team's honorary secretary. As secretary he brought to the University team a level of organisation that had previously not existed. He ensured the college games were properly organised and set up trials to ensure the best players were chosen.
In the 1881 season a match was arranged between England and Wales
, the very first international match for the Welsh. A space was left in the England team in the pack for an Oxford University player, which was given to Vassall. Wales were completely unprepared, and the team was constructed to appease regional sides, the result was an 8-0 defeat (82-0 by modern standards). Vassall had an excellent game, scoring a hat-trick of tries
, the first individual to ever achieve this feat in an international rugby game. His reign as the highest try scorer in a single international game was short lived, as during the same encounter George Burton
surpassed him minutes later by scoring four.
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...
player, best known as a centre for Oxford University
Oxford 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:...
. Vassall played international rugby 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...
in the early years of the sport, winning five caps and scoring a hat-trick of tries in the first encounter between England and Wales.
While at Oxford University Vassall led the university rugby side to 70 matches without defeat during his three year captaincy. His belief that the forward players should work in unison with their backs was revolutionary to the game of rugby and changed the way that rugby was played at club and country level. He is recognised as one of the most important figures in the early development of the sport.
Early life
Vassall was born in Barwick in Elmet, a township in the TadcasterTadcaster
Tadcaster is a market town and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Lying on the Great North Road approximately east of Leeds and west of York. It is the last town on the River Wharfe before it joins the River Ouse about downstream...
district, in 1860, the son of William Vassall and his wife Martha Ann. His father was a rector originally from Great Wigston in Leicestershire, his mother a native of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, who was fifteen years her husband's junior. Just after Harry (named Henry) was born, his family, including his two older siblings William and Margaret, moved to Hardington Mandeville
Hardington Mandeville
Hardington Mandeville is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south west of Yeovil in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 598.-History:...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
where his father took up the post of rector of the parish. Henry's mother had been just nineteen when his eldest brother William was born in 1858, and Margaret and Henry had followed in successive years. After moving to Hardington, Henry's family continued to grow at a prodigious rate and between 1861 and 1882 Henry gained a further twelve siblings, the last of which was Leonard born in 1882 when Martha was forty-two. This was the year before Henry's father's death in 1883. Henry was educated at Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
before matriculating to Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is located in Catte Street, directly opposite the main entrance of the original Bodleian Library. As of 2006, the college had a financial endowment of £52m. There are 612 students , plus various visiting...
in 1879.
Rugby career
Vassall had played rugby during his college days at Marlborough, a school only second to RugbyRugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
in its impact on the emergence of rugby. He continued playing at Oxford, and he was part of the Oxford University team in the 1879 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...
, gaining his first sporting 'Blue'. Vassall played in the 1880 Varsity Match and the same season was made the team's honorary secretary. As secretary he brought to the University team a level of organisation that had previously not existed. He ensured the college games were properly organised and set up trials to ensure the best players were chosen.
In the 1881 season a match was arranged between England and 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...
, the very first international match for the Welsh. A space was left in the England team in the pack for an Oxford University player, which was given to Vassall. Wales were completely unprepared, and the team was constructed to appease regional sides, the result was an 8-0 defeat (82-0 by modern standards). Vassall had an excellent game, scoring a hat-trick of 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...
, the first individual to ever achieve this feat in an international rugby game. His reign as the highest try scorer in a single international game was short lived, as during the same encounter George Burton
George Burton (rugby union)
George Burton was a rugby union international who represented England from 1879 to 1881.-Early life:George Burton was born on August 29, 1855 in Wakefield. He attended Winchester College.-Rugby union career:...
surpassed him minutes later by scoring four.