John Blake (30 May 1933 – 9 September 1982) was a rugby player and teacher who captained

Bristol Rugby Bristol Bears (officially Bristol Rugby Club or Bristol Rugby) are a professional rugby union club based in Bristol, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded as Bristol Football Club in 18 ...

through one of their most successful periods in the 1950s. Blake, "the most influential individual in the history of the Bristol club", was a fly half, educated at St Brendan's College and

Bristol University The University of Bristol is a public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Bristol, which had ...

. He became captain of Bristol in 1957 and was central in the club's adoption of an adventurous and attractive style of play that became known as "rugby Bristol fashion". Blake's approach to the game was immediately successful. During his first season in charge the club records for both points scored and wins in a season were broken. The points scored record was then broken in the two subsequent seasons. Eschewing kicking, Blake emphasised passing and running with the ball. England selectors rejected this rugby philosophy and Blake never represented his country. He did, however play for

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

, the Combined Services, the RAF and the Western Counties. He also played for the

Barbarians A barbarian is a person or tribe of people that is perceived to be primitive, savage and warlike. Many cultures have referred to other cultures as barbarians, sometimes out of misunderstanding and sometimes out of prejudice. A "barbarian" may ...

. By profession a teacher, Blake was an inspirational teacher of history at Henbury School in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

, as well as St Brendan's College, and was Headmaster of St Wilfrid's Catholic Comprehensive in

Crawley Crawley () is a town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in West Sussex, England. It is south of London, north of Brighton and Hove, and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Crawley covers an area of and had a populat ...

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

. He was buried in the graveyard of the Friary Church,

Bristol career

Appearances - 339 (1953–66) Tries - 92 Conversions - 3 Drop goals - 32 ''Total points scored'' 378

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blake, John 1933 births 1982 deaths Alumni of the University of Bristol English rugby union players Bristol Bears players 20th-century English sportsmen