Alexander Obolensky
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Prince Alexander "Obo" Obolensky (February 17 1916 — March 1940) was a Russian prince and an international Rugby union footballer who played for England.
He was the son of Prince Serge Obolensky, an officer in the Czar's Imperial Horse Guards, and his wife Princess Luba. Their name derived from the Russian town of Obolensk. They fled Russia after the Russian Revolution of 1917, settling in Muswell Hill, London, United Kingdom.
Obolensky was educated at Trent College in Nottinghamshire before going to Oxford University, where he gained two blues for playing rugby at wing three-quarter. He then played for Leicester Tigers between 1934 and 1939. His selection for England caused a stir because he was not a British citizen, but he gained British Citizenship in 1936. In 1936 he scored two tries in a 13-0 victory over the All Blacks, the first time England had beaten New Zealand. He only won four caps for England, but his name has entered into legend because of television coverage.
On the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, Obolensky joined the Royal Air Force's 504 Squadron. In March 1940 he was killed during training when his Hawker Hurricane crashed on Martlesham Heath, Suffolk. His aircraft, reference number L1946 dropped into a ravine at the end of the runway, breaking his neck. He was 24. He is buried in Ipswich's war cemetery.
Later he would be compared to another Royal Air Force fighter pilot and wing three-quarter back for Leicester and England, Rory Underwood whose family were from the far-east.
External links
- Planet rugby stat archive and bio (http://www.planet-rugby.com/stats/players/players_listing.phtml/p_r/ENG?setCode=archive&search_text=Obolensky&tournament_code=international&country=&scdate=1871&ecdate=2004&position=&sbdate=1871&ebdate=2004&go=Submit)