Page 28 - Quadrangle: 39th Edition

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THE RUGBY TRIUMPHS

OF EDDIE OXLEY

During the publicity surrounding the recent ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement many an old Herioter would have been looking
back fondly to the life of one of the FP rugby club’s greatest ever players, Edwin J ‘Eddie’ Oxley, who was the driving force
behind Heriot’s thirteen Rugby Sevens tournament wins in the 1920s and 30s. Their fond memories would have been tinged
with regret that this great player was never capped for Scotland, allegedly because he was black.

Eddie Oxley was an all-round forward capable of playing in a number of 1935 at Old Anniesland in Glasgow where The Scotsman reported that:
positions, which probably goes a long way to explaining his successes at ‘Oxley, who had gained representative honours relatively late in his
Sevens. But this affable and hugely popular Herioter was much more career, was the leader of the Cities pack and a splendid example he set
than an outstanding Sevens player. his colleagues….he was to be seen continually co-operating with his
backs both in attack and defence in addition to doing his share in the
Eddie was born in Scotland on 4 May 1907. His father was a doctor
open’.
living in the United States and Eddie was brought up by his mother in
Edinburgh, entering George Heriot’s School at the age of 14 in 1921. We can only speculate that he was chosen for this game as a
He excelled at art and sport at school and represented the cricket First consolation for never having been capped. At his relatively advanced
XI and rugby First XV for two successive years, going on to captain the age for the period (28) it would have been unusual, thereafter, for the
rugby team in his final year in season 1926-27. selectors to pick him for Scotland when he was probably thought to be
edging past his peak. It would be another 75 years before a black player,
FIFTEENS
Jo Ansboro, in 2010, represented Scotland.
He first played for the FPs in 1927-28 and, after being vice-captain in
1931-32, he went on to captain the First XV for the three subsequent Fellow Herioters J M Kerr, at full back, and J D Lowe, in the second row,
years. He was a key member of the team for 11 successive seasons. were also in the Cities XV which lost narrowly by 9 points to 8, before a
sell-out crowd of 11,000. Of the team that day Eddie, who was the tight-
Heriot’s FP were Unofficial Scottish Champions in 1927-28 and again
head prop, was one of only six players who were never capped.
in 1928-29, when they achieved some resounding victories over the
likes of Melrose (48-6), West of Scotland (46-0), and the Instonians SEVENS CAREER
club from Belfast (34-5). Although the club was unable to repeat these On the Sevens front, where he mainly played at hooker, Eddie was
championship successes throughout the 1930s they produced many extremely popular with the knowledgeable and enthusiastic crowds in
significant performances, not least their wins against the formidable the Scottish Borders where Heriot’s recorded eleven of their thirteen
Hawick team at Mansfield Park in the traditional New Year’s Day fixture tournament wins between 1928 and 1939. His first Sevens tournament
in 1930, 1935 and 1937. In season 1937-38, which was to be Eddie’s success was at Langholm in 1928 and he went on to record further wins
final year of fifteen-a-side rugby, Heriot’s were championship runners-up with the team at Edinburgh (Murrayfield) (in 1935 and 1936), Melrose
to Stewart’s FP despite beating the Inverleith club both home and away. (1938 and 1939), Jedforest (1933, 1938 and 1939), Hawick (1935),
Selkirk (1935) and Langholm (1935, 1937, and 1938).
Many of the newspaper reports of the time make reference to Eddie’s
stellar contributions to the team effort. The Scotsman of 11 February In the semi-final against Stewart’s FP at Melrose in 1938, The Scotsman
1935 reported on the win against Glasgow Academicals at Goldenacre reported that: ‘The Scottish Club Champions (Stewart’s) revealed plenty
that: ‘The forwards were entitled to the chief credit as, even when under of possibilities….but, rather surprisingly, their strong-going forwards
a numerical disadvantage , they stood up splendidly to the Academical failed to hold the veteran Oxley and his colleagues…..Oxley has never
pack, and often in the loose, where they were given a rousing lead by played better at a similar tournament during his long career, and he was
E J Oxley, they dominated the play.’ an inspiration to his younger colleagues…..(and he) added to his general
usefulness by converting on three occasions.’
Having been overlooked by the Edinburgh selectors for the Inter-City
matches over the years, this seeming affront was finally put right when After the Langholm Sevens, Eddie announced his retirement from the
Eddie was selected as forward leader for the combined Edinburgh and game and The Edinburgh Evening News reported with sadness: ‘One of
Glasgow XV which played against the touring All Blacks on 16 October the most popular players in Scottish rugby, Oxley’s retirement will be