Eric Coley (23 July 1903 – 3 May 1957) was an English international
rugby union
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
player.
A back-row forward, Coley spent his entire career with hometown club
Northampton
Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...
. He was a regular member of Barbarian invitational sides and toured Argentina with the British Lions in 1927, featuring in two of the four internationals against the
Pumas. Capped twice for
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, Coley debuted in an away win over
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in 1929, then returned against
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
for the opening
1932 Home Nations fixture in Swansea, where he scored their solitary try in a losing cause.
Coley was later an England rugby selector and secretary of
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northa ...
.
See also
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List of British & Irish Lions players
As of 26 June 2017, 835 players have made an appearance for the British and Irish Lions, a rugby union team selected from players eligible for any of the Home Nations – the national sides of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Lions genera ...
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List of England national rugby union players
This article represents a list of people who have played for the England national rugby union team, in the order that they received their first Cap (sport), cap. The list only includes players who have played in an official Test match (rugby union ...
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Coley, Eric
1903 births
1957 deaths
English rugby union players
England international rugby union players
British & Irish Lions rugby union players from England
Rugby union players from Northampton
Rugby union number eights
Northampton Saints players
Barbarian F.C. players
20th-century English sportsmen