James Holt Marsh

James Holt Marsh (1866–1 August 1928),[2][1] was an international rugby union three-quarter who played club rugby for Swinton.[3] He is most notable as the only player to have represented two international teams in the Home Nations Championship, Scotland and England.[4][5] He was a General Practitioner by profession, holding a practice in Manchester for nearly forty years.[6]

James Holt Marsh
Birth nameJames Holt Marsh
Date of birth(1866-01-01)1 January 1866
Date of death1 August 1928(1928-08-01) (aged 62)
Place of deathLeigh
SchoolEdinburgh Institute
UniversityEdinburgh University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Three-quarter
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Edinburgh Institute F.P.
Swinton		 ()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1889
1892		 Scotland
England		 2
1		 (0)
(0)
Official website
[1]

Rugby career

March was educated at Edinburgh Institute before being accepted at Edinburgh University to study medicine. In 1889, Marsh was selected for the Scottish international team when he was chosen to face Wales as part of the 1890 Home Nations Championship. At the time, Marsh was playing club rugby for the Edinburgh Institute Former Pupils team, and was brought in at three-quarters. Scotland beat Wales and Marsh was reselected for the second, and final game of the competition, away to Ireland at Belfast. With England having withdrawn from the tournament, a win over the Irish would give Scotland the Home Nations, but not the Grand Slam. Scotland won the match thanks to a single dropped goal from Henry Stevenson. Although Marsh found himself a Home Nations Champion, his international career with Scotland was over.

Although his rugby career with Scotland was behind him, Marsh continued playing rugby, and after moving to Manchester to set up a medical practice, he turned out for union team Swinton. During the 1890–91 season his strong club play brought him to the attention of the English selectors, and he was brought into the annual North vs. South match.[7] This in turn led to Marsh being selected for the 1892 Home Nations Championship in the game against Ireland, playing again at threequarters alongside Dicky Lockwood and George Hubbard. The English team was victorious, but Marsh was not selected for the team again. It is unknown if this was due to sanctions or actions taken by the rugby unions or if it was a selection choice.

Change of Code

When Swinton converted from the rugby union code to the rugby league code on Tuesday 2 June 1896, James Holt Marsh would have been approximately 30 years of age. Consequently, he may have been both a rugby union and rugby league footballer for Swinton.

Bibliography
  • Griffiths, John (2000). Rugby's Strangest Matches. Robson Books. ISBN 1-86105-354-1.
  • Griffiths, Terry (1987). The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records. London: Phoenix House. ISBN 0-460-07003-7.

References
  1. "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". en.espn.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "Death details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  4. Kitson, Robert; New England picks from all corners to take on the world guardian.co.uk, 5 November 2008
  5. Griffiths (2000), pg 28.
  6. Griffiths (1987), pg 2:7.
  7. Griffiths (2000), pg 27.
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