A member of the England team that played Scotland in the first ever rugby international at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh, on 27 March, 1871.

A tall and powerful forward, Alfred Hamersley scored England’s second ever try in his second appearance, also against Scotland, at the Kennington Oval. He then captained England to victory against the Scots in his fourth and final test in 1874, before emigrating to New Zealand where he was one of the founder members and vice-president of the Canterbury Rugby Union.

A solicitor of great renown, Hamersley left New Zealand for Canada in 1887 and was instrumental in the formation of the British Columbia RFU and became its first President.

Once returning to Britain in 1906, Hamersley set up Oxfordshire Nomads RFC, now known simply as Oxford RFC, while also successfully running for Parliament as a Unionist MP in his home county of Oxfordshire.