Richard Sharp (rugby union)

Richard Sharp
OBE

Born	Richard Adrian William Sharp (1938-09-09)9 September 1938 Bangalore, Kingdom of Mysore, India
Died	3 November 2025(2025-11-03) (aged 87)
School	Blundell's School
University	Balliol College, University of Oxford
Rugby union career
Position Flyhalf Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 1960–61 Barbarians 1959–62 Oxford University 1957–66 Cornwall 28 1957– Wasps – Redruth – Bristol International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1962 British and Irish Lions 2 (3) 1960–67 England 14 (26)

Richard Adrian William Sharp OBE (9 September 1938 – 3 November 2025) was an English rugby union player. Born in India during the British Raj, his family moved to Cornwall, England, where he was educated at Montpelier School, Paignton and Blundell's School in the neighbouring county of Devon ^[1] and at Balliol College, Oxford. He was a player at Redruth R.F.C., Wasps FC, Bristol FC ^[2] and for England (14 caps) as fly-half and captain. He played for England while at Oxford ^[3] and led England to the Five Nations title in 1963. ^[4] He played cricket for Cornwall in the Minor Counties Championship between 1957 and 1970. ^[5]

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1986 New Year Honours, for services to Sport, particularly in the South West. ^[6]

Bernard Cornwell named the fictional character Richard Sharpe after him. ^{[7] [8]}

Sharp died on 3 November 2025, at the age of 87. ^[9]

References

1. "Notable Old Blundellians". Blundells.org. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
2. "London Wasps Hall of Fame". Wasps.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 December 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
3. Balliol Old members Archived 12 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine
4. RFU Wall of Fame Archived 21 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
5. "Player profile: Richard Sharp". CricketArchive. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
6. UK list: "No. 50361". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1985. p. 11.
7. "The Story of Sharpe". Uktv.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
8. "A word from Bernard Cornwell". Southessex.co.uk. 29 September 2002. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
9. Tributes paid to former Cornwall and England rugby star Cornish Times

External links

• Cornwall portal

• Oxford Alumni
• The Book of English International Rugby 1871–1982
• Hammers of the Scots, The Daily Telegraph, 1 February 2007

Sporting positions
Preceded by Dickie Jeeps	England national rugby union team captain 1963	Succeeded by Mike Weston
Preceded by Budge Rogers	England national rugby union team captain 1967	Succeeded by Phil Judd