Barry Cumberlege

Barry Stephenson Cumberlege, (5 June 1891 – 22 September 1970) was an English sportsman who played international rugby union for England. He also played first-class cricket and served in the British Army in the First World War.

Early life and education Cumberlege was born at Jesmond in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1891, the son of Esther and Charles Cumberlege. His father was a superintendent at the Bank of England and had played cricket for Northumberland and Surrey.

He was educated at Durham School where he played both rugby union and cricket, captaining the school cricket team from 1908 to 1910. He was invited to tour South Africa with the Great Britain rugby team which he declined. He went on to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, graduating in 1913. He played seven times during 1913 for the university and also made an appearance for Free Foresters against Cambridge, scoring the only century of his first-class career, an innings of 172.

Post-war sporting career After the war, Cumberlege played rugby for Blackheath and was called up to the England team for the 1920 Five Nations Championship. He was capped eight times by England, playing in the 1920, 1921 and 1922 championships, and was described by William Wakefield as "by far the best full-back we [England] have had since the war" in 1928. He was dropped after England suffered a heavy defeat to Wales in 1922 at Cardiff and retired from international rugby. Cumberlege also played for the Barbarians and for Northumberland in the County Championship. After his playing career was over he became a rugby referee, officiating in 16 international matches between 1926 and 1934.

He played a total of six first-class cricket matches for Kent County Cricket Club in 1923 and 1924. He scored 288 runs in nine innings for the county, with a highest score of 76 against Essex at Leyton, and only failed to reach double figures once. These matches brought his final tally to 14 first-class matches from which he scored 763 runs at a batting average of 38.15. With an "orthodox technique founded on a sound defence", he played club cricket for Blackheath and Band of Brothers. Rutland also played rugby union for Cambridge University, Barbarians and Harlequins. Another brother, Henry, also served in the Army Service Corps, commanding another of the Mechanical Transport Companies of the 3rd Cavalry Division before his death in September 1914.

After leaving the Army at the end of World War I, Cumberlege worked as an underwriter for Lloyd's of London and wrote about rugby in the press. He married Louella Gillis in Kensington in June 1919, remarrying after her death in 1950. During World War II he served with the Royal Observer Corps. Cumberlege died in September 1970 aged 79.