Cecil Kershaw

Although Cecil Kershaw, or “K” as he was known to his friends, was a three-time national sabre champion, and fenced at two Olympics, it was as a rugby player that he was better known. A scrum-half, he played for Blackheath, the Royal Navy, United Services, Barbarians, and England.

Between 1920-23 Kershaw won 16 England caps and 14 of them saw him play alongside W. J. A. “Dave” Davies in what many regarded as one of the finest half-back partnerships ever seen in English rugby. In the 14 games they played together, England won 13 and drew one, against France in 1922.

Kershaw did his naval training at the Royal Naval College at Osborne on the Isle of Wight, and then at Dartmouth. He served on submarines in the Baltic Sea during World War I, and retired as a lieutenant-commander in 1931. He was recalled to service during World War II when he was promoted to captain and served on the planning staff for the D-Day landings in France. In addition to playing rugby for the Navy, he also represented them at cricket, hockey and squash.

Kershaw dovetailed his rugby career with a fine fencing one and competed at the 1920 and 1924 Olympics. He was also the British sabre champion in 1920, 1925, and 1926. After the end of World War II, he enjoyed a successful business career.