Keith Gregson reports on one town’s efforts to rebuild rugby after the First World War…
After spending four years analysing the effect of the First World War on Sunderland Rugby Football Club, I am convinced that there were a number of valid reasons why the sport struggled in the town after 1918. At least three members of each side had died as a result of the war while a similar number had received injuries which prevented them from resuming the sport. At the same time it may be safe to assume there were those who must have been mentally scarred and/or unwilling to go back to play when so many of their colleagues were no longer around. A final thought is that by 1919 five years had passed since the last club game and a number of players must have considered themselves too ‘long in the tooth’ to play.
If research into other clubs is to be believed SRFC was not alone in struggling to field one single 1st XV in the seasons immediately following the conflict. Nevertheless archive evidence has survived in Sunderland which points to remarkably successful efforts to rectify the situation on part of the club, its players past and present and other local bodies. Continue reading
