Darsie Anderson
Encyclopedia
Darsie Gordon Anderson was an English
-born rugby union
half back who played club rugby for London Scottish
. At international level he represented Scotland
winning eight caps over four seasons.
, Greenwich
in 1868 to John Anderson and May Margaret Gordon, but by the age of 13 was bordering at a private school in the Chanonry in Aberdeen
. On the 25 October 1899, he married Constance Mary Louise Neild, and they had four children, all girls. By 1919, Anderson is listed at Campden Hill
in London, and is a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London.
. Anderson was already playing for London Welsh when he was awarded his first international cap, in Scotland's closing encounter of the 1889 Home Nations Championship
, away to Ireland. Anderson was partnered at half back with Charles Orr
, with whom Anderson would play all eight of his international appearances. Scotland won the match against the Irish, by a single drop goal, and Anderson and Orr became a regular partnership from that point. Both men lined up for all three games of the 1890 Championship
, which saw Scotland lose the title in their final match of the series to England. During the 1890 tournament, Anderson scored his only international points, with a try
in the win over Wales.
The next season, Anderson was approached by William Percy Carpmael
to join his newly formed invitational touring team, the Barbarains. Anderson accepted, becoming one of the team's founding members. The 1891 Home Nations Championship
saw Scotland win all three games of the competition to take the Triple Crown
. Anderson played in two of the matches, the country's opening victory over Wales, and the final match away to England. For the Ireland encounter, Anderson was replaced by William Wotherspoon
; but on his return for the England game, along with Gregor MacGregor, Anderson was seen as the outstanding player of the match.
Anderson played in one final Championship in 1892
, with a win over Wales, but his final international was a home loss to England.
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...
-born 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...
half back who played club rugby for London Scottish
London Scottish F.C.
London Scottish Football Club is a rugby union club in England. It is a member of both the Rugby Football Union and the Scottish Rugby Union.-History:...
. At international level he represented Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
winning eight caps over four seasons.
Personal history
Anderson was born in Abbey WoodAbbey Wood
Abbey Wood is a district of South-East London, England, located mostly in the London Borough of Greenwich, and partly within the London Borough of Bexley. It is situated east of Charing Cross.-Development:...
, Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
in 1868 to John Anderson and May Margaret Gordon, but by the age of 13 was bordering at a private school in the Chanonry in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. On the 25 October 1899, he married Constance Mary Louise Neild, and they had four children, all girls. By 1919, Anderson is listed at Campden Hill
Campden Hill
Campden Hill is an area of high ground in west London between Notting Hill, Kensington and Holland Park.The area is characterised by large Victorian houses. It is also the site of reservoirs established in the 19th century by the Grand Junction Waterworks Company and the West Middlesex Waterworks...
in London, and is a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London.
Rugby career
Anderson played for two major club team's during his career, London Welsh and The BarbariansBarbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
. Anderson was already playing for London Welsh when he was awarded his first international cap, in Scotland's closing encounter of the 1889 Home Nations Championship
1889 Home Nations Championship
The 1889 Home Nations Championship was the seventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Three matches were played between 2 February and 2 March. It was contested by Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
, away to Ireland. Anderson was partnered at half back with Charles Orr
Charles Orr (rugby union)
Charles Edward Orr was a Scottish rugby union football player.He was capped sixteen times for between 1887-92. He also played for West of Scotland FC.He was the brother of John Orr who was also capped for Scotland....
, with whom Anderson would play all eight of his international appearances. Scotland won the match against the Irish, by a single drop goal, and Anderson and Orr became a regular partnership from that point. Both men lined up for all three games of the 1890 Championship
1890 Home Nations Championship
The 1890 Home Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 1 February and 15 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, which saw Scotland lose the title in their final match of the series to England. During the 1890 tournament, Anderson scored his only international points, with a try
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...
in the win over Wales.
The next season, Anderson was approached by William Percy Carpmael
William Percy Carpmael
William Percy Carpmael was the founder and first president of the rugby union Barbarian Football Club. Carpmael was born the eldest of eight in Briscobel, Stretham in England.-Education and early career:...
to join his newly formed invitational touring team, the Barbarains. Anderson accepted, becoming one of the team's founding members. The 1891 Home Nations Championship
1891 Home Nations Championship
The 1891 Home Nations Championship was the ninth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 3 January and 7 March...
saw Scotland win all three games of the competition to take the Triple Crown
Triple Crown (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the four national teams of the British Isles who compete within the larger Six Nations Championship: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. If any one team manages to win all their games against the other three they win the...
. Anderson played in two of the matches, the country's opening victory over Wales, and the final match away to England. For the Ireland encounter, Anderson was replaced by William Wotherspoon
William Wotherspoon (rugby player)
William Wotherspoon was a Scottish rugby union half-back who was a member of the first official British Isles tour and was also capped for the Scotland team...
; but on his return for the England game, along with Gregor MacGregor, Anderson was seen as the outstanding player of the match.
Anderson played in one final Championship in 1892
1892 Home Nations Championship
The 1892 Home Nations Championship was the tenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 2 January and 5 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
, with a win over Wales, but his final international was a home loss to England.