Wilf Sobey Explained

Wilf Sobey
Full Name:Wilfred Henry Sobey
Birth Date:1 April 1905
Birth Place:Pachuca, Mexico
Death Place:Wandsworth, England
Occupation:Schoolmaster
School:Mill Hill School
University:University of Cambridge
Position:Scrum-half
Repyears1:1927–30
Repyears2:1930–32
Repcaps2:5
Reppoints2:0

Wilfred Henry Sobey (1 April 1905 – 27 February 1988) was an English international rugby union player.

Biography

Sobey was born in Pachuca, Mexico, where his father was a miner.[1]

While attending Mill Hill School, Sobey was team captain in five different sports and as a rugby scrum-half formed a halfback partnership with Roger Spong, which continued when they both played for England.[2]

Sobey, a Cambridge blue and Old Millhillians player, toured Argentina in 1927 with the British Lions. He made his England debut in the 1930 Five Nations Championship, appearing in three of the matches, then was vice captain of the 1930 British Lions on their tour of Australasia, but didn't get to play in any of the international fixtures due to a knee injury.[3] After not featuring in 1931, Sobey returned to the England side in 1932 for their match against the 1931–32 Springboks at Twickenham, before gaining his fifth and final cap two-weeks later in Swansea.[4]

A school teacher, Sobey was Headmaster of Kingsfield School in Oxhey from 1940 to 1970.[2]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Athlete de Luxe . . 25 February 1930.
  2. News: Wilfred Sobey . . 11 March 1988.
  3. News: Sobey Still Unfit . . 2 August 1930.
  4. News: Where are they now? No. 294 . Daily News . 24 January 1958.