William Moberly
Encyclopedia
William Octavius Moberly (14 November 1850 - 2 February 1914) was an English
sportsman who played first-class cricket
for Gloucestershire
and represented the England national rugby union team
.
, before going to Balliol College
in Oxford. He won a blue for rugby in 1872 and until 1874 played for the university. This included the first ever Varsity Match
against Cambridge in 1872, with Moberly captaining Oxford to victory. He also played two first-class matches for Oxford, against the Gentlemen of England in 1870 and 1872.
. The match, which took part at The Oval, was won by England. Although at club level he always played three-quarter, he was picked as a fullback for England. He was described as a clever runner, who could "drop with either foot, and was a good shot at goal." At club level, Moberly turned out for the Ravenscourt Park Football Club
.
He was appointed as an assistant master at Clifton College
in 1874 and began playing for the Clifton Rugby Football Club
two years later.
whenever fellow rugby union international and Clifton teammate James Bush was injured or unavailable.
In a match against Yorkshire in Cheltenham 1876, Moberly scored 103 and his captain W. G. Grace
an unbeaten 318 when they put on 261 runs for the fifth wicket. It remains to this day a Gloucestershire fifth wicket partnership record. He finished the season with 245 runs at 40.83, his best year in terms of average but he had his most prolific summer in 1883 when he amassed 351 runs at 29.25. The latter tally included his highest first-class score of 121, which he scored in a win over Somerset at Taunton.
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...
sportsman who played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
and represented the England national rugby union team
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...
.
Early life and education
Moberly was educated at Rugby SchoolRugby 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:...
, before going to Balliol College
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
in Oxford. He won a blue for rugby in 1872 and until 1874 played for the university. This included the first ever 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...
against Cambridge in 1872, with Moberly captaining Oxford to victory. He also played two first-class matches for Oxford, against the Gentlemen of England in 1870 and 1872.
Reugby career
As a wing-three-quarter, he took part in the second ever rugby international between England and Scotland, in 18721871-72 Home Nations rugby union matches
The 1871-72 Home Nations rugby union matches was a single international friendly held between the England and Scotland national rugby union teams...
. The match, which took part at The Oval, was won by England. Although at club level he always played three-quarter, he was picked as a fullback for England. He was described as a clever runner, who could "drop with either foot, and was a good shot at goal." At club level, Moberly turned out for the Ravenscourt Park Football Club
Ravenscourt Park Football Club
Ravenscourt Park was a short lived 19th century rugby football club that was notable for being one of the twenty-one founding members of the Rugby Football Union, as well as producing a number of international players in the sport's early international fixtures.-History:Ravenscourt Park was founded...
.
He was appointed as an assistant master at Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
in 1874 and began playing for the Clifton Rugby Football Club
Clifton Rugby Football Club
Clifton Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club founded in Clifton, Bristol, England. Over the years the club's home games have been played in a variety of locations in northern Bristol, though never in Clifton itself; since 1976 they have been based at the southern end of Cribbs Causeway.Clifton...
two years later.
Cricket career
Although his duties at Clifton restricted his appearances in first-class cricket, Moberly began playing with Gloucestershire in 1876 was a member of the teams which were the Champion County that year as well as the next. He was used as a top order batsman but would also fill in as wicket-keeperWicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
whenever fellow rugby union international and Clifton teammate James Bush was injured or unavailable.
In a match against Yorkshire in Cheltenham 1876, Moberly scored 103 and his captain W. G. Grace
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
an unbeaten 318 when they put on 261 runs for the fifth wicket. It remains to this day a Gloucestershire fifth wicket partnership record. He finished the season with 245 runs at 40.83, his best year in terms of average but he had his most prolific summer in 1883 when he amassed 351 runs at 29.25. The latter tally included his highest first-class score of 121, which he scored in a win over Somerset at Taunton.