Farrell chats to England’s oldest former player
England captain Owen Farrell has been chatting with the country’s oldest former international player, JV Smith.
He took time out from preparing for the Guinness Six Nations match against Wales, at the squad’s training base, The Lensbury, in Teddington. Catching up with 94-year-old John, who has been isolated at home in Stroud over the past year, he heard about him scoring on his England debut against Wales in 1950.
On a Zoom call facilitated by John’s son and daughter-in-law, Peter and Gloria, Owen discovered John’s part in the 1950 campaign.
Scoring on debut v Wales
On 21 January at a chilly Twickenham, JV intercepted the ball just inside his own half and outpaced the Welsh full back.
“We lost 11-5, though,” said JV. “There was an England injury who had to leave the field before half-time and no replacements in those days!”
That he was playing at all seems remarkable. In 1944 he was called up to the Army at the age of 18 and played in the Inter Services Championships but had a year out due to a serious parachute training injury.
“I fractured my spine training for the Parachute Regiment at Aldershot. I was in plaster more than three months and took a year to recover,” John told Owen. “So I didn’t play in 1946/47. That’s going back a bit isn’t it?”
By the time he played for England, he was at Cambridge on a forces scholarship.
“The ground at Twickenham was all open and the official crowd at Twickenham was a record estimated 75,500 against Wales. But the Secretary of the RFU at the time was I believe asked by the police to let a large group of spectators through the gates. There was no way of knowing how many people were actually in that day. I think it was closer to 85,000. After that, admission was by ticket only. It cost a ten shilling note to get in.
“I played in the centre and on the wing and was one of the smallest players but pretty fast. They had a look at me for the 1948 Olympics but I didn’t make it. The Wales wing, Ken Jones, did and he won a silver medal. Pat Marshall, the rugby correspondent of the Daily Express said he rated me the fastest rugby player in the world at the time. So there you are!”
JV loves Owen’s kicking
Owen asked John about England training, discovering that there was almost none, just a session in Twickenham, though not at the stadium.
“It was different entirely,” said JV. “They were funny old days and a lot of kicks went nowhere near the posts because the ball was so heavy and even heavier once it was wet. I love watching you playing. Your kicking is magnificent. I love it.”
John explained how he won three Cambridge Blues.
“In those days, just after the war, people were rushing to get into university and I was one of 120 at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge, where I joined in the athletics and rugby. Back then the top players played for the top universities. Something like 22 international players played in the 1948 Oxford v Cambridge match. It’s different now though, isn’t it?”
Owen agreed that it was, that with professional rugby and Academies, the pathway had changed and asked John about the social side in his playing days.
“There was very much a social side to the game, the evening dinners, things like that were marvellous. I got to know many opposition players and played with many of them for the Barbarians. I had seven Barbarian caps and that was a side of the game that was very interesting. We got to know each other better playing for the Baa-Baas.”
JV commiserated that Owen and the squad were having to play without any crowds in the stands. Owen said he was looking forward to playing in front of fans again when it became possible because the crowd made a big difference.
JV scored four of England’s five tries
Asked about his experience in the 1950 Five Nations, JV had clearly enjoyed the campaign.
“I played in all four matches and scored four of the five England tries. The fifth, I drew the opposition full back and Vic Roberts, our wing forward, scored.”
In the Army JV had been second in running the British quarter mile and, playing for the Army, had shaken hands with Prince Philip and his wife who was later to become Her Majesty the Queen. “Prince Philip was a Royal Navy officer at the time.”
He was also called up for the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1950 but because the team was travelling by ship, and he would be away from his studies for months, his Cambridge tutor told him that as he was on a forces scholarship he was not allowed to go.
After graduating, JV was employed by John Sutcliffe, who forged a successful catering company in an industry that has grown across the world.
“I started work in London, got married in 1948 and began playing for Rosslyn Park a club, together with Stroud, which is very close to my heart. But I had to take a step back from rugby because of my job,” John explained.
Club and country
JV is both a life member at Stroud and Rosslyn Pak and started the Minchinhampton club, where he became their first President.
Owen asked about his time as President of the RFU.
“I was Gloucestershire’s representative on the RFU Committee and while I was President we were starting to develop the Twickenham South Stand and the Rose Room. I remember when it got built the BBC’s Cliff Morgan spoke at the dinner. I had used some Latin and Cliff said it was the best Welsh he had ever heard!
“I greatly regret that people are having to miss being at Twickenham which has changed so much over the years, but I look forward to watching you putting the ball over the posts on Saturday,” JV told Owen.
“I love watching you on TV and I’ve really enjoyed having a chat with you, it’s been brilliant. Good luck to you and the rest of the team!”
Owen salutes JV’s passion for rugby
Owen Farrell said: “I really enjoyed speaking to JV about what it was like when he played and his experiences.
“The best thing was that he was still so passionate about the game after so long.
“One of the biggest things was just how important fans are to the game. I know JV and his family will be supporting us this weekend.”
