This is one of a series of posts to mark the international Rugby players who served in, and survived, The Great War. If anyone has further information on the men concerned, I’d be most grateful if it could be added to the thread. Gareth Cove-Smith, Ronald played for England/British Isles England Internationals: 29 : 1921 S+ F+ ; 1922 I+ F= S+ ; 1923 W+ I+ S+ F+ ; 1924 W+ I+ S+ F+ ; 1925 NZ- (1t) W+ I= S- F+ ; 1927 W+ I+ S- F- ; 1928 NSW+ W+ I+ F+ S+ ; 1929 W+ I- British Isles Internationals: 4 : 1924 SA 4 Ronald Cove-Smith was born on 26 November 1899 Played as a Lock for: Merchant Taylors’ School, Old Merchant Taylors, Cambridge University (Blue 1919-1921), King’s College Hospital, London University, United Hospitals, Middlesex Profession: Medicine War service: Commissioned in the Grenadier Guards 1918-1919. Remarks: Swimming and water polo half blue. Played in 6 winning sides v Wales. Captained the British Isles tour to South Africa in 1924. Various eminent medical appointments 1919-1956. He died on ?
Dr Ronald Cove-Smith (born 26 November 1899 Edmonton, Middlesex, England 9 March 1988 Brighton, Sussex, England) was a distinguished English physician and sportsman.Ron Cove hyphenated his wife's maiden name into his surname. He represented Old Merchant Taylors and King's College Hospital RFC. Internationally he represented the England national rugby union team in 29 tests 1924 Tour to South Africa This tour was the first to be taken after the great war and was to South Africa the team was skippered by Ronald Cove-Smith and managed by Harry Packer from Wales. The tourists played 21 games and 17 of these were against club or provincial and also included were 4 test match’s, they lost the test series 0-3, with 1 draw. The tour had one major claim to fame as it was the first occasion that the Lions nickname was used by their hosts. This came about as the full touring name was the British Isles Rugby Union Team and the tour tie included a heraldic Lion in the badge, this was picked up on and the tourists were called the Lions. The four match test series was lost 3-7, 0-17 then 3-3 in the third test although a missed penalty in front of the posts in the final minutes of the game stopped a Lions win. The final test was lost 9-16. Coincidentally this was followed by a golden era of Rugby in South Africa during the 1930’s. The results from the other 17 games including 1 in Salisbury Rhodesia was won 9, drew 2 and lost 6. These results probably reflected the state of rugby in the British Isles at the time.
