Robertson Smyth

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Robertson Smyth
Trinity College, Dublin
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Dublin University ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
  • 1902
  • 1904–
  • 2
  • ?
  • 0
  • ?
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1903–1904
1903		  Ireland
Great Britain		 3
3
----
Military career
Buried
Banbridge Municipal Cemetery
Allegiance 
Mentioned in despatches

Major Robertson "Robbie" Stewart Smyth (18 August 1879 – 5 April 1916) was an international

house surgeon at Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital, he was commissioned into the Royal Army Medical Corps
in 1906, and went to India the following year.

Smyth captained the

Barbarians on two occasions in 1902, and, after graduating from Trinity College, he played with Wanderers
.

At the outbreak of the First World War, Smyth went to the

mentioned in despatches
. Having given up his commission, he died a few months later in April 1916.

Early life

Robertson Smyth was born on 18 August 1879 in Banbridge, County Down, Ireland.

Trinity College, Dublin.[2]

Rugby career

Smyth was invited to play for the

Barbarians on two occasions in 1902: against Penarth on 28 March, winning 11–0; and Swansea on 1 April, losing 17–0.[3][4]

In his second year at Dublin University, Smyth was selected for the 1st XV, and elected captain of the team for the 1902–1903 season. That same season he earned his first cap for Ireland against England on 14 February 1903, and was selected again to play two weeks later against Scotland.[2]

In response to an invitation from the South African Rugby Board, it was decided by the Rugby Football Union to send a team to South Africa,[5] and on 27 May, George Rowland Hill, honorary secretary of the Union, announced the team for the tour to South Africa, Smyth amongst them.[6] He played in all three tests against South Africa, the first two being drawn, but the British Isles losing the third.[7]

Smyth was selected for Ireland to play one more game, against England on 13 February 1904 away at Blackheath. England had lost all three games of the Home Nations championship in 1903, but after obtaining a draw against Wales in January 1904, its prospects against Ireland looked stronger. The Irish forwards contingent, including Smyth, was regarded as 'very strong', all eight of them having played international rugby, but the backs appeared weaker.[8]

After Smyth graduated from Dublin University in 1904, he played rugby for

Leinster Senior Cup in 1906.[2]

International appearances

For Ireland:

Opposition Score Result Date Venue Ref(s)
 England 6–0 Won 14 February 1903 Lansdowne Road [9]
 Scotland 3–0 Lost 28 February 1903 Inverleith [10]
 England 19–0 Lost 13 February 1904 Blackheath [11]

For British Isles:

Opposition Score Result Date Venue Ref(s)
 South Africa 10–10 Draw 26 August 1903 Johannesburg [12]
 South Africa 0–0 Draw 5 September 1903 Kimberley [13]
 South Africa 8–0 Lost 12 September 1903 Cape Town [14]

Military service

After obtaining his medical degree in 1904, Smyth passed selection for the

mentioned in despatches in January 1916.[20] Smyth retired, effective 22 February 1916 on a gratuity.[21] He died a few months later, on 5 April, from the effects of the exposure.[2]

See also

  • List of international rugby union players killed in action during the First World War

References

  1. ^ Robertson Steward Smyth at ESPNscrum
  2. ^ a b c d e Sewell 1919, p. 179.
  3. ^ "Player Archive – R. S. Smyth". Barbarian FC. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Results & Fixtures 1901–1902". Barbarian FC.
  5. hdl:10107/4132179
    .
  6. hdl:10107/4134216
    .
  7. ^ McCrery 2014.
  8. hdl:10107/4139897
    .
  9. ^ "Ireland v England 1903". ESPN. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016.
  10. ^ "Scotland v Ireland 1903". ESPN. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016.
  11. ^ "England v Ireland 1904". ESPN. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016.
  12. ^ "South Africa v British Isles 1903 1st Test". ESPN.
  13. ^ "South Africa v British Isles 1903 2nd Test". ESPN.
  14. ^ "South Africa v British Isles 1903 3rd Test". ESPN.
  15. ^ "RCSI Doctors in World War One". RCSI Matters. RCSI. January 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  16. ^ "No. 27874". The London Gazette. 12 January 1906. p. 287.
  17. ^ "No. 27935". The London Gazette. 27 July 1906. p. 5132.
  18. ^ "No. 28223". The London Gazette. 12 February 1909. p. 1112.
  19. ^ "No. 29334". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 October 1915. pp. 10361–10362.
  20. ^ a b Sewell 1919, p. 180.
  21. ^ "No. 29480". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 February 1916. p. 1890.

Bibliography

  • McCrery, Nigel (2014). Into Touch: Rugby Internationals Killed in the Great War. Pen and Sword.
    ISBN 978-1473833210
    .
  • Sewell, Edward Humphrey Dalrymple (1919). The Rugby Football Internationals Roll of Honour. London, Edinburgh: T. C. & E. C. Jack.
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