Wavell Wakefield
England
player portrait
Full name William Wavell Wakefield
Also known as Baron Wakefield of Kendal
Born March 10, 1898, Beckenham
Died August 12, 1983, Kendal (aged 85 years 155 days)
Major teams England
Position Flanker

Test career
Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop GfM Won Lost Draw %
All Tests 1920-1927 31 31 0 18 6 0 0 0 0 20 8 3 69.35
Five/Six Nations 1920-1927 30 30 0 18 6 0 0 0 0 20 7 3 71.66

Career statistics
Test debut Wales v England at Swansea, Jan 17, 1920 match details
Last Test France v England at Colombes, Apr 2, 1927 match details
Test Statsguru Main menu | Career summary | Match list | Most points | Most tries | Tournament list
Profile

Strong, athletic and quick, Wavell Wakefield was an inspirational captain for England and wascredited with reinventing the role of the back-row forward, which had until his time been a static position. A stalwart of the Harlequins throughout the 1920s, he made his England debut in 1920 and in the next seven years made 31 appearances. He was captain 13 times, leading England to back-to-back Grand Slams in 1923 and 1924.

Wakefield retired in 1930 and went on to be a Conservative MP, being knighted in 1944 and on his retirement from parliament in 1963 became the first Baron Wakefield of Kendal. He retained strong links with the game as RFU president (1950) and president of the Harlequins (1950-1980). He was also president of the Ski Club of Great Britain, the British Sub Aqua Club and the British Water Ski Federation. In 1999 he was inducted as the first English member of the International Rugby Hall of Fame.

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Latest Photos
May 19, 1928
Wavell Wakefield is dispossessed during the Middlesex Sevens
Wavell Wakefield is dispossessed during the Middlesex Sevens
©  Getty Images
Apr 2, 1927
Wavell Wakefield takes the field in Paris for his last international
Wavell Wakefield takes the field in Paris for his last international
©  Getty Images
Dec 1, 1923
Wavell Wakefield takes a breather during the trial match
Wavell Wakefield takes a breather during the trial match
©  Getty Images

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