William Openshaw

William Edward Openshaw (5 February 1852 – 7 February 1915) was a rugby union international who represented England from 1879 to 1879.[1]

William Openshaw

Birth name	William Edward Openshaw
Date of birth	5 February 1852
Place of birth	Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa
Date of death	7 February 1915 (aged 63)
Place of death	Warrington, England
Rugby union career
Position(s) Halfback Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) Manchester Football Club County side: Lancashire () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1879  England 1 Goals:0; Tries:0; Conv:0; Pens:0; Drop:0

Life

The son of W. Openshaw of Victoria Park, Manchester, he was educated at Harrow School. There he played in the Cricket XI in 1869, leaving in 1870. He became a merchant in Manchester.[2]

Harrow Cricket XI 1869 for the match against Eton, Openshaw fourth from the right of those seated

Rugby union career

Openshaw played his club rugby for Manchester (then known as Manchester Football Club). Openshaw made his international debut on 24 March 1879 at The Oval in the England vs Ireland match in which he was on the winning side.[1] He was described by contemporaries as a wonderful dribbler and took part in the second ever "Roses" match between Lancashire and Yorkshire.[3]

Cricketing career

Openshaw played four first-class cricket matches for Lancashire from 1879 to 1882.[4]

References

1. William Openshaw Profile on scrum.com
2. Dauglish, Milverton Godfrey; Stephenson, Pleydell Keppel (1911). "The Harrow School Register, 1800-1911. 1st ed., 1894, comp. and ed. by R. Courtenay Welch ... 2d ed., 1901". London, Longmans, Green, and co. p. 402.
3. Marshall, Francis, Football; the Rugby union game, p464, (1892) (London Paris Melbourne, Cassell and company, limited)
4. "William Openshaw". www.cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 4 June 2013.