Maurice Neale

Maurice Edward Neale (1886 – 9 July 1967) was an English rugby union international who played on a single occasion for his country and was part of the first official British Isles team that toured South Africa in 1910, finishing top try scorer of the series.

Career history Neale was born in Berkeley, England in 1886 later moving to Thornbury. In 1907 Neale, who was at the time playing club rugby for Bristol, played at county level for Gloucestershire. In 1908 he was again selected for Gloucestershire, this time to face the 1908 touring Australian team. Neale, was selected at wing for the match, but was forced to leave the field with a shoulder injury. Neale played in 14 matches of the tour including all three Test matches, and finished as the team's leading try scorer with a total of ten. A popular member of the tour, Neale impressed the South African crowds with his blistering speed off the mark and his accurate cross kick. Before his selection into the England squad he switched teams from Bristol to Blackheath. Neale's first and only England cap was in the 1912 Five Nations Championship victory over France in Paris.