Ironically several positions proved difficult to fill and, not withstanding his ability, Neil Hunter will be delighted to be included on the basis that he was the only hooker we could unearth who played both senior rugby and cricket.
Obviously a license to go back to the 1880s opened up all sorts of permutations, but we declined to use them on the basis that their rugby prowess is difficult to determine and almost impossible to compare to the modern era. In this respect we have to apologize to North of Ireland RFC and Queen’s College RFC, who supplied a number of Ireland internationals including Dr. JW Taylor, whose profile sits so handsomely on top of the NCU Challenge Cup. Like many players of his era, the “Doc” was part of a privileged selection process in the embryonic days of rugby. Cricket operated likewise in the same era with players from Phoenix and Dublin University Cricket Clubs forming the bulk of Gentlemen of Ireland teams.
In this fantasy team we have exercised a little license to include rugby icon Sid Millar who accordingly to Andy Kennedy played for Ballymena 2nd XI, but otherwise the cricket credentials of the other rugby cricketers are strong.
FULL-BACK- Jimmy McKelvey (North of Ireland, Ulster and Ireland
WING- Raymond Hunter CIYMS, Ulster, Ireland and British Lions)
CENTRE- Mike Gibson (North of Ireland, Ulster, Ireland and British Lions)
CENTRE- Lawrence Hunter Civil Service and Ireland)
WING- Arthur Douglas (Instonians, Ulster and Ireland)
OUT HALF- Jack Kyle (North of Ireland, Ulster, Ireland and British Lions)
SCRUM HALF- Neil Doak (North of Ireland and Ulster)
PROP- Sid Millar (Ballymena, Ulster, Ireland and British Lions)
HOOKER-Neil Hunter North of Ireland and Portadown)
PROP-Larry Warke (Ulster and Leinster)
LOCK- Sammy Walker (British Lions)
LOCK- Bob Alexander (North of Ireland and Ireland)
WING FORWARD-Basil McNamee (CIYMS and Ulster)
NUMBER 8- Herbie Martin (Instonians and Ulster)
WING FORWARD- David Morrow (Bangor, Ulster and Ireland)
Subs:
Ronnie Elliott-(Bangor, Ulster and Ireland)
Willie Oakes-(Instonians and Ulster)
Stanley Hewitt (Instonians and Ulster)
Referees-
Jimmy Irvine (Civil Service)
Brian Stirling
Rugby and Cricket internationals-
Jimmy McKelvey
Ray Hunter
Arthur Douglas
Finlay Jackson
And what if we switched the emphasis from rugby to cricket? Here is a fantasy Top Cricket XV who also played rugby at senior level and above-
FULL-BACK- Jimmy McKelvey (North of Ireland, Ulster and Ireland
WING- Raymond Hunter CIYMS, Ulster, Ireland and British Lions)
CENTRE- Mike Gibson (North of Ireland, Ulster, Ireland and British Lions)
CENTRE- Lawrence Hunter (Civil Service and Ireland)
WING- Arthur Douglas (Instonians, Ulster and Ireland)
OUT HALF- Dermott Monteith (CIYMS and Bangor)
SCRUM HALF- Paul Jackson (North of Ireland)
PROP-Gary Bell (Dungannon)
HOOKER-Neil Hunter North of Ireland and Portadown)
PROP-Larry Warke (Ulster and Leinster)
LOCK- Trevor Sailes (Donaghadee)
LOCK- Bob Alexander (North of Ireland and Ireland)
WING FORWARD-Basil McNamee (CIYMS and Ulster)
NUMBER 8- Herbie Martin (Instonians and Ulster)
WING FORWARD- David Morrow (Bangor, Ulster and Ireland)
Subs-
Ronnie Craig (Queen’s and Ireland)
Stephen Warke (Woodvale)
Let’s hear about notable omissions and suggestions before moving on to cricketing footballers!
Clarence Hiles
Editor
