John Pym (rugby union, born 1891)

John Pym
Full nameJohn Alfred Pym
Date of birth(1891-03-25)25 March 1891
Place of birthSurrey, England
Date of death9 February 1969(1969-02-09) (aged 77)
Place of deathAuckland, New Zealand
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1912 England 4 (3)

John Alfred Pym (25 March 1891 – 9 February 1969) was an English international rugby union player.

Pym was born in Surrey, and educated at Cheltenham College.[1]

A scrum-half, Pym played for Blackheath, Cheltenham and United Services.[2] He was capped four times for England, as their only halfback to play all 1912 Five Nations matches. After contributing a try on debut against Wales, playing beside Adrian Stoop, Pym combined with Harry Coverdale for his next to matches, before resuming his partnership with Stoop for the final fixture.[1]

Pym attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and served as a lieutenant with the Royal Garrison Artillery in World War I, during which he was falsely reported in the press as having been killed, on account of a confusion with his initials.[3]

  1. ^ a b "Rugby Football". The Newcastle Journal. 17 March 1917.
  2. ^ "Football". Gloucester Journal. 13 January 1912.
  3. ^ "Captain J. A. Pym, R.A., Not Killed". The Scotsman. 20 March 1917.