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Peter Dalton Young
 
 
 

1954-55 - Peter Dalton Young selected for England (Lock) while playing for Dublin Wanderers. Born Bristol 9th November 1927. He captained England twice on his last 2 games v France on 26th Feb 1955 and v Scotland on 19th March 1955 . He scored 1 try for England against Scotland on 20th March 1954. Programme cover and team sheet lower on page. He was a Cambridge Blue in 1949. He went on to captain Gloucestershire. He started playing rugby at Clifton but met his future wife in Dublin and stayed. He was called up to the England team after captaining The Rest in the final Trial at Twickenham that beat England 8-6

INTERNATIONAL RECORD: England Appearances 1953-5

Career Record: P9, W4, D1, L4, Tries 1, Cons 0, Pen 0, DropG 0

16th Jan 1954 v Wales (Twickenham) (FN) W 9-6

30th Jan 1954 v New Zealand (Twickenham) L 0-5

13th Feb 1954 v Ireland (Twickenham) (FN) W 14-3

20th March 1954 v Scotland (Murrayfield) (FN) W 13-3

10th April 1954 v France (Stade Colombes, Paris) (FN) L 3-11

22nd Jan 1955 v Wales (Cardiff) (FN) L 0-3

12th Feb 1955 v Ireland (Lansdowne Road) (FN) D 6-6

26th Feb 1955 v France (Twickenham) (FN) L 9-16

19th March 1955 v Scotland (Twickenham) (FN) W 9-6

From 1937 until 1945 Peter Young attended Clifton College. He bequeathed his collection of England rugby shirts and programmes to Clifton College which are on display in the cricket pavilion. Peter was one of three former Clifton College players to captain England after the war, the others being Dr Keith Scott and David Perry.

Above Peter Young in the 1943 Clifton College Rugby XV. He is standing fourth from right. The captain was Robert Thomas Saunders.

Standing (L-R): B.M.Jones, G.A.B.Covell, G.P.Vaughan, P.D.Young, J.M.Jenkins, H.Wills. Seated: R.C.C.Thomas, R.V.Thompson, Glyn Davies (Hon Sec.) A.F.Dorwood (Captain), A.M.James, J.V.Smith, J.M.Williams. On Ground: I.S.Gloag, J.C.Davies.

Above Peter Young in the 1949 Cambridge University side.

Above programme cover and team sheet for the 1949 Varsity match with Clifton RFC player Peter Young. Oxford won 3-0. On the Oxford side was Kendall-Carpenter who was already playing for Bath and England and later to teach rugby at Clifton College.

Above photo of the 1949 Varsity match at Twickenham with Clifton RFC player Peter Young

Programme cover and teamsheet for the Burnham Xv v Ben Tuttiets XV played on 5th April 1950 which included Peter Young still a Clifton player.

Back Row (L-R): F.M.Fisher, A.L.Henderson, T.A.Kemp, B.J.C.Woodall, G.G.Lyall, M.J.O.Massey, J.V.Smith, G.A.J.Bevan, G.Davies, D.G.H.Jones. Second Row: C.Davies, P.J.F.Wheeler, R.C.C.Thomas, R.M.Bartlett, P.D.Young, V.H.Leadbetter, S.T.J.Walter, F.R.Beringer, G.P.Vaughan, T.U.Wells, P.Evans. Seated: R.F.G.Holmes, H.Frater, K.J.Dalgleish, J.A.Geilliam, J.M.Jenkins (Captain), M.R.Steele-Bodger, J.F.Bance, H.Willis, C.W.Drummond, P.B.Reeve.

Above Cambridge University v M.R.Steele-Bodger's XV played on November 21st 1951 with Clifton’s Peter Young and Vic Leadbetter. Cambridge lost 8-23. After attending Cambridge University Peter Young briefly played for Rosslyn Park. He was part of their team that won the Melrose Sevens in 1951, beating Melrose 8-6 in the semi-final and Heriots 8-5 in the final. This was the first English side of the 20th Century to win the Border Sevens. The team consisted of John Vincent Smith (4 caps - England 1950), John Reichwald, Brian Boobbyer (9 caps - England 1950-52), J.H.Burges (2 caps - Ireland 1950), Peter Dalton Young (9 caps - England 1954-55). N.E.Williams and Crouch.

Back Row (L-R): P.D.Young, J.V.Smith, B.Boobyer, N.E.Williams. Front Row: J.H.Burges, J.M.Reichwald (Captain), R.Crouch.

Above the Rosslyn Park side that won the Melrose 7's in 1951 with ex Clifton player Peter Young.

Above the programme cover and team sheet for the Cornwall v Gloucestershire County Championship match played on 24th October 1953 with Clifton RFC player Roger Alan Malcolm Whyte (Born 17th August 1929. Clifton College April 1938 - 1947) and ex Clifton RFC players Peter Young and Jack Gregory playing for Gloucestershire. The match was a 6-6 draw. Gloucestershire went on to win the South West group but lost the semi-final to the eventual winners Middlesex.

Above programme cover and team sheet from the England v The Rest match on 2nd January 1954. Peter Young was selected for the England Five Nations match v Wales following his captaincy of The Rest side which beat England 8-6. The Rest also included ex Clifton player Vic Leadbetter who was later selected for England v Scotland in 1954.

Above the programme cover and team sheet from England v Wales, 16th January 1954. Peter Young’s debut for England. The numbering is not the modern position numbers. Note the Welsh team included Cliff Morgan at fly-half.

Above left: An advert for Roberts Original Brown Windsor Soap with a photo from Peter Young’s debut match.

Standing (L-R): H.B.Elliot (Touch Judge), D.L.Sanders (Ipswich YMCA and Harlequins), W.P.C.Davies (Harlequins), P.G.Yarranton (RAF and Wasps), P.D.Young (Dublin Wanderers), J.P.Quinn (New Brighton), A.R.Higgins (Leeds University and Liverpool), I.King (Harrogate), D.S.Wilson (Metropolitan Police), Mr Ivor David (Welsh Rugby Union (Referee). Seated: J.Butterfield (Northampton), E.Evans (Sale), R.V.Stirling (RAF and Wasps) (Captain), J.MacG.K. Kendall-Carpenter (Bath), J.E.Woodward (Wasps). On Ground: G.Rimmer (Waterloo), M.Regan (Liverpool).

Above the England team that faced the All Blacks at Twickenham on 30th January 1954 with Peter Young.

Above New Zealand captain Bob Stuart introduces the Duke of Gloucester to his players before the 1954 England International. From left are Colin Loader, Ron Hemi, Ron Jarden and Snow White. Signed and annotated by Bob Stuart.

Above the programme cover and team sheet from England v New Zealand, 30th January 1954. Peter Young's second international.

Above ticket from the England v New Zealand, 30th January 1954. Peter Young's second international.

Above action from the 1954 England v New Zealand match which included ex Clifton RFC player Peter Young. In above picture All Black captain Bob Stuart and Englands Phil Davies. Signed and annotated by Bob Stuart.

Standing (L-R): Mr.A.I.Dickie (Scotland) (Referee), W.P.C.Davies (Harlequins), P.G.Yarranton (RAF and Wasps), P.D.Young (Dublin Wanderers), J.P.Quinn (New Brighton), R.Higgins (Leeds University and Liverpool), D.L.Sanders (Harlequins), D.S.Wilson (Metropolitation Police), I.King (Harrogate). Seated: J.Butterfield (Northampton), E.Evans (Sale), R.V.Stirling (RAF and Wasps) (Captain), J.MacG.K.Kendall-Carpenter (Bath), J.E.Woodward (Wasps). On Ground: G.Rimmer (Waterloo), M.Regan (Liverpool).

Above England team that played Ireland on the 13th February 1954 with ex Clifton RFC player Peter Young.

Above the programme cover and team sheet from England v Ireland, 13th February 1954. Peter Young’s third international.

Back Row: Ivor David (Referee) (Wales), John Kendall-Carpenter (Bath), Alec Lewis (Bath), Dyson Stayt 'Tug' Wilson (Harlequins), Christopher Elliot Winn (Rosslyn Park), Peter Dalton Young (Dublin Wanderers), Nigel Gibbs (Harlequins), Victor H.Leadbetter (Edinburgh Wanderers), John Edward Woodward (Wasps), James Patrick Quinn (New Brighton). Front Row: John Edward Williams (Old Millhillians) , Eric Evans (Sale), Donald Louis 'Sandy' Sanders (Harlequins), Robert Victor Stirling (Wasps), Martin Regan (Liverpool), Jeffrey Butterfield (Northampton)

Above the England team that lost against France 3-11 on 10th April 1954 at Stade Colombes in Paris. In the picture are Peter Young and Vic Leadbetter. This team had won the Triple Crown 3 weeks previously. Nigel Gibbs was also an ex CliftonCollege student as well as Peter Young. He went on to become head teacher at Colstons in 1965. Both he and his brother also played for Bristol.

Above programme cover and team sheet for the Wales v England match, which included ex Clifton player Peter Young, originally scheduled for 15th January 1955 but postponed due to heavy snow. The game was rescheduled and played on January 22nd on a very wet and muddy pitch. Wales won 3-0. During that week new cap G.D.Owen was injured in training and he was replaced for the match by another new cap A.B.Edwards. He scored the winning penalty on his debut. The England side included 6 new caps including 5 forwards, one being Dursley born George Hastings of Gloucester who went on to gain 13 caps.

Above action from the Wales v England match played on 15th January 1955. Peter Young is standing 4th left facing right.

Standing (L-R): A.I.Dickie (Referee), W.P.C.Davies (Harlequins), R.Higgins (Liverpool), D.St.G.Hazell (Leicester), N.A.Labuschagne (Guy's Hospital), P.J.Taylor (Northampton), J.H.Hancock (The Army and Newport), J.E.Woodward (Wasps), J.E.Williams (Old Millhillians), A.E.Brough (RFU). Seated: P.H.Ryan (Richmond), G.W.Hastings (Gloucester), P.D.Young (Wanderers), N.M.Hall (Richmond) (Captain), R.C.Bazley (The Army and Waterloo), J.Butterfield (Northampton), D.G.S.Baker (Old Merchant Taylors).

Above the England team that played Ireland at Lansdowne Road on the 12th February 1955. A match that featured ex Clifton RFC player Peter Young gaining his 7th cap.

Above programme cover and team sheet for the England v Ireland match at Lansdowne Road on the 12th February 1955. A match that featured ex Clifton RFC player Peter Young gaining his 7th cap. The match ended in a 6-6 draw.

Above minutes from the Clifton RFC meeting held on 14th February 1955 at the Horse and Groom. P.D.Young's selection as Captain of England.

Standing (L-R): Mr R.Mitchell (Ireland) (Referee), D.St.G.Hazell (Leicester), W.P.C.Davies (Harlequins), R.Higgins (Liverpool), I.D.S.Beer (Harlequins), P.G.Yarranton (Wasps), F.D.Sykes (Northampton), J.E.Williams (Old Millhillians), Mr T.E.Priest (Touch Judge). Seated: G.W.Hastings (Gloucester), R.C.Bazley (Waterloo), P.D.Young (Captain) (Dublin Wanderers), J.Butterfield (Northampton), N.A.Labuschagne (Guys Hospital), D.S.Wilson (Met. Police). On Ground: D.G.S.Baker (O.M.T's), H.Scott (Manchester).

Above the England team that played France on 26th February 1955. Peter Young’s first match as captain of England.

Above ticket front and back for England v France on 26th February 1955. Peter Young first match as captain of England.

Above cover of programme and team sheet of Peter Young’s first match as captain of England v France on 26th February 1955.

Above Peter Young leads out England for the first time v France. Behind him is P.G.Yarranton (skullcap) (Wasps) and George Hastings (Gloucester).

Above newspaper report on the England v France match on 26th February 1955 . Peter Youngs first as Captain. It says that this was Peter Youngs best match of the season.

Standing (L-R): Mr.E.V.Barnes (Touch Judge), W.P.C.Davies (Harlequins), R.Higgins (Liverpool), D.St.G.Hazell (Leicester), I.D.S.Beer (Harlequins), N.A.Labuschagne (Guy's Hospital), N.S.D. Estcourt (Blackheath), F.D.Sykes (Northampton), D.S.Wilson (Metropolitan Police), Mr. D.C.Joynson (Referee). Seated: R.C.Bazley (Waterloo), G.W.Hastings (Gloucester), P.D.Young (Dublin Wanderers), J.Butterfield (Northampton), P.G. Yarranton (Wasps), On Ground: D.G.S.Baker (Old Merchant Taylors), J.E.Williams (Old Millhillians).

Above: Peter Young’s last match for England, as captain, v Scotland19th March 1955.

Above programme cover and team sheet from Peter Young’s last match for England, as captain, v Scotland 19th March 1955.

Above: Peter Young in his last match for England v Scotland. 19th March 1955. The caption read "P.D.Young, the England Captain is lifted off his feet in a tackle and appears unlikely to reach I.D.S.Beer with his pass"

Above part of a programme the final trial match of 1956. Ex Clifton player Peter Young was picked but did not receive any more England caps. On The Rest team is John Currie of Clifton and Oxford University who ironically took his place in the England team.

The No.4 England shirt went from Peter Young to John Currie, which totaled 31 internationals and stretched from 16th January 1954 to 7 January 1961. John Currie did return for his remaining 2 England caps wearing the No.5 shirt.

Above programme cover and teamsheet from the Wanderers v Group Captain Walkers XV played at Lansdowne Road on 21st September 1957. In the Wanderers side ex Clifton and England player Peter Young and on the Group Captain Walkers side his successor in the England side John Currie, misspelt J.B.Currie. Wanderers won 15-11 John Currie scored a try and conversion in the match.

He died on 23rd May 2002. His obituary in the Daily Telegraph said

PETER YOUNG, who has died aged 74, was England's rugby captain in 1954/55, successfully leading his country to a Triple Crown; he later became a leading figure in equestrian circles in the Irish Republic.

He remains the only England rugby captain to have led his country whilst being based overseas - in his case, in Ireland. His selection was the more remarkable since this success was before matches were covered on television, and before selectors travelled overseas.

As The Daily Telegraph put it on January 5 1954, 11 days before Young's first cap, "his abilities as a second row forward and pack leader could have been familiar to only a very few who peered through the murky darkness of Twickenham [at the trial the previous Saturday]".

Peter Dalton Young was born in Bristol on November 9 1927. After attending Clifton College, he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, where he had little opportunity to play rugby. After going up to Pembroke College, Cambridge, in 1946 to read Geography, however, he won a Blue in the 1949 Varsity match.

On graduating, Young went to work at Imperial Tobacco in Bristol, commuting at weekends to play rugby for Rosslyn Park in south west London. His employers then sent him to Dublin, where he joined Dublin Wanderers, and it looked as though his involvement in English first-class rugby was at an end; however, Imperial Tobacco agreed to fly him regularly to England so he could turn out for Gloucestershire. He had his first England trial in 1951, and was selected for the first time for his country in January 1954, against Wales at Cardiff.

Young went on to gain nine caps and, ultimately, to captain his country in 1955, leading England to the Triple Crown in that year.

To achieve this whilst based in Ireland was a reflection of his determination. As The Sunday Telegraph commented at the time: "His selection roused fierce criticism; however, his fighting spirit spread through the side like a flame."

Young later made his career in the shipping industry, working for Palgrave Murphy, of which he became joint-managing director. He then founded Galway Ferries, which ran the MV Galway from Galway to the Aran Islands.

But Young's principal interest was the Irish horse world, which led to his becoming chairman of the Irish Pony Club, where he was largely responsible for turning it into a national organisation; its membership grew significantly in his 10 years as chairman.

Young also set up and ran the Dublin Indoor International Horse Show, and from 1992 to 1996 was chef d'equipe of the Irish three-day eventing team. He founded, launched and was first chairman of the Golden Saddle Award scholarship scheme, which has successfully encouraged the younger generation of equestrian talent within Ireland.

In 1990 the Irish President, Mary Robinson, awarded him the Equestrian Federation of Ireland badge of honour for his services to the Irish equestrian world.

Young died on May 23. He married, in 1955, Ann Murphy, the daughter of T V Murphy, whose family set up and owned the Irish Independent newspaper group, which was later sold to Tony O'Reilly. His wife and their son and two daughters survive him.