1910 British Lions tour to Argentina

March 2014 March 2014 File:Combined British Rugby Team, Argentina 1910.png 250px The 1910 British Isles team 26 May – 17 June R.V. Stanley ENG John Raphael British and Irish Lions 1–0 ENG Harold Monks (10) NZ & Australia 1908 South Africa 1910 British Lions 1910 6 6 0 0 1 1 0 0 ARG 1 1 0 0 The 1910 British Lions tour to Argentina was a rugby tour of Argentina made by a side made up of 16 English players and 3 Scots. The organisers of the tour named the team the "English Rugby Union team",1910: Argentina https://web.archive.org/web/20180510124544/http://www.britishlions.com/lions-history/old-lions-tours/2013/07/17/1910-argentina 10 May 2018 by David Walmsley – Genesis Publications – May 15, 2013 on British Lions website but the host country advertised the touring team as the British Combined ("Combinado Británico" in Spanish). The 1910 team has been termed as one of the three "lost lions" tours,David Walmsley (Author), Robby Elson (Editor), The Lions: The Complete History of the British and Irish Rugby Union Team, Genesis Publications (2005) 0-904351-96-3 and is detailed on the British and Irish Lions official website. For Argentina, this tour marked the start of international rugby union and the test against the Combined British on 12 June 1910 was the first test in the Argentine national team's history.http://www.europeanrugby.com/Teams/Argentina/story_40331.shtml Argentina and the 'Lions' in the past 2 December 2004 Planet Rugby Paul Dobson https://web.archive.org/web/20111008132402/http://www.europeanrugby.com/Teams/Argentina/story_40331.shtml 8 October 2011 dead History thumb|left|The first Argentina national team ever before playing the British Lions at Sociedad Sportiva Argentina, 12 June 1910 In 1910, a British side toured South Africa for the fourth time, being the eighth outing of a British touring side at this point. The South African tour was, however, the first official tour, in that it had the official sanction of the four home unions. Concurrently, RV Stanley, more famously known as Major Stanley of Oxford, later an England selector, organised a side to tour Argentina. John Raphael, the England fullback, was selected as the captain of this team, branded by Stanley as the England Rugby Union team. The hosts referred to the team as the Combined British, perhaps more appropriate given the squad included three Scots. The tour was also part of the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the May Revolution. The people of Argentina termed it the "Combined British", also known as "Great Britain XV". Argentina made its international debut against this team under the name "The River Plate Rugby Football Union" on 12 June. The match was played at Sociedad Sportiva Argentina of Palermo and Argentina lost 28–3. The only try for the Argentine squad (the first international try) was scored by Buenos Aires F.C. player Frank Heriot.Some sources cited C. McCarthy (player of Lomas A.C.) as the author of the first try instead Heriot."Lions": Los viajes olvidados by Ricardo Sabanes, 16 May 2017 note firstry ."El centenario del debut", Clarín, 13 June 2010 Argentina's most notable players were captain Oswald St. John Gebbie and Barry Heatlie, a South African who played for the Springboks."De festejo también, pero por el Centenario" by Jorge Búsico, La Nación, 27 May 2010 The Combined British played six matches, winning them all, including a victory over Argentina in their first ever test on 12 June 1910. Team Of those representing the Combined British, only four had played international rugby previously. They were: John Raphael, (Old Merchants Taylors', Oxford University, Surrey) played fullback for England (also a notable cricketer); Alex Palmer, (London Hospital, Harlequins) a New Zealander who played on the wing for England Barrie Bennetts, (Penzance RFC and Cornwall) played on the wing for England Anthony Henniker-Gotley, (Oxford University, Kent, Blackheath) played at halfback for England Other members of the team were: Harold Gordon Monks (Liverpool Old Boys, Wigan RFC and Lancashire) Horace Evelyn Ward (Harlequins and Middlesex) E.S. Holmwood (Kent) William Lovat Fraser (Merchistonian FC) Edward Newman Fuller (Old Merchants Taylors', Cambridge University and Kent) John Francis Ashby (Cheshire) Robert Bertram Waddell (Glasgow Academicals RFC) Henry John Fraser Walter Legh Huntingford (United Services, Blackheath and Surrey) Robin Harrison (Northampton RFC, Midlands RFU and the South) Whalley Stranach (Guy's Hospital and Kent and English Trials) Stanley Herbert Smith (Cumberland) Martin Tweed (Guy's Hospital) Percy Robert Diggle (Oxford University and Cumberland) Peter Denny Strang (Old Merchants Taylors' and Surrey) Sidney Herbert Milnes (Manchester FC, Lancashire) Henry Whitehead (Manchester FC, Lancashire and North of England) Match summary Complete list of matches played by the British Isles in Argentina:British & Irish Lions results on Rugby Football HistoryEarly Lions: Squads and results (1888–1938) on BBC Sport, 18 May 2005 #ffff99 silver Test matches thumb|170px|The English side (in white shirts) playing Argentina at Sociedad Sportiva on 12 June. It was the international debut of an Argentine rugby team # Date Rival City Venue Score 1 26 May Olímpicos A Combined teams.Los Lions en Argentina by Frankie Deges on Mundial XV website, 21 Jan 2013 note olimp Buenos Aires n/a 19–13 2 29 May Belgrano A.C. Buenos Aires n/a 58–0 3 2 Jun Olímpicos B note olimp Buenos Aires n/a 39–5 4 6 Jun Buenos Aires F.C. Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Cricket 28–0 5 12 Jun ARG The first international game played by Argentina, under the name "The River Plate Rugby Football Union"1903-1910 – SUCCESSES UP TO WWI on British Lions website note first Buenos Aires Sociedad Sportiva 28–3 6 17 Jun Argentinos Nativos At those times, most of rugby players in Argentina were of British origin. The most important match of each year was the played between "Nativos" (formed by Argentine born players) and "Británicos" (then "Extranjeros") (Foreigner). This tradition was abandoned in the 50s. note nativos Buenos Aires n/a 41–10 Balance Pl W D L Ps Pc 6 6 0 0 211 31 Test details June 12, 1910 ARG 3–28 Great Britain British Isles MacCarthy Sociedad Sportiva Argentina _whitecollar_buttons 000099 000099 000099 777777 777777 Argentina _collar ffffff ffffff ffffff ffffff ff0000 British Isles Argentina: : J.E. Saffery, Cornelius MacCarthy, Oswald Gebbie, M. Heriot, Henry Talbot, W.A. Watson, Carlos Mold, Barry Heatlie, L.H. Gribbell, W.H. Hayman, F. Henrys, A. Bovet, A. Donelly, Alvan Reid Notes note References 30em British Lions tour of Argentina Category:British & Irish Lions tours Category:Rugby union tours of Argentina Bri Br Category:History of rugby union matches between Argentina and the British & Irish Lions