| Full name | Ronald Cove Smith | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 November 1899 | ||
| Place of birth | Edmonton, Middlesex | ||
| Date of death | 9 March 1988 (aged 88) | ||
| Place of death | Brighton, England | ||
| School | Merchant Taylors' School | ||
| University | Cambridge University | ||
| Occupation(s) | Doctor | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Lock | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| Cambridge University R.U.F.C. Old Merchant Taylors King's College Hospital RFC |
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| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1921-1929 1924 |
England British Isles |
29 4 |
(3) (0) |
Dr Ronald Cove-Smith (born 26 November 1899, Edmonton, Middlesex, England – 9 March 1988, Brighton, Sussex, England) was a distinguished English physician and sportsman. He represented Old Merchant Taylors and King's College Hospital RFC. Internationally he represented the England national rugby union team in 29 tests (1921–1929) (seven as captain) and also captained the British Isles in four tests (1924) as a lock. He finished on the winning side in 22 of his 29 England matches.
Cove-Smith was a talented schoolboy player at Merchant Taylors School, and carried that talent through to university, playing in three Varsity Matches for Cambridge University, winning his sporting 'Blues'.[1] He led the 1924 British Lions tour to South Africa, losing three of the four tests and drawing one. As captain, he led England to the 1928 Grand Slam and he was inducted onto the World Rugby Museum Wall of Fame[2] in 2001.
He also led a distinguished medical career and served as a vice-president of the British Medical Association.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Leonard Corbett |
English National Rugby Union Captain 1928-Feb 1929 |
Succeeded by Joe Periton |
| Preceded by Tommy Smyth |
British & Irish Lions Captain 1924 |
Succeeded by David MacMyn |
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