William Barry Holmes (6 January 1928 – 10 November 1949) was a

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

player who played for the

England national rugby union team The England national rugby union team represents England in men's international rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. England have won the championship on 29 occasion ...

and the

Argentina national rugby union team The Argentina national rugby union team (Spanish: ''Selección de rugby de Argentina'') represents Argentina in men's international rugby union; it is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union ( es, Unión Argentina de Rugby). Nicknamed the Pumas ...

. As of 2011 he is the only player to have been capped at senior level by both those two countries. Holmes was born in Buenos Aires on 6 January 1928 to British parents. He was educated at St. George's College, Quilmes, and began his rugby union career playing for the Old Georgian Club in Buenos Aires. He travelled to Britain to continue his education at

Queens' College, Cambridge Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Queens' is one of the oldest colleges of the university, founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou. The college spans the River Cam, colloquially referred to as the "light s ...

and was selected to play for

Cambridge University R.U.F.C. The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, sometimes abbreviated "CURUFC", is the rugby union club of the University of Cambridge. The team plays Oxford University RFC in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham Stadium every December. ...

The Varsity Match The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford University RFC, Oxford and Cambridge University R.U.F.C., Cambridge in England. The event began in 1872 with the first men's match, with interruptions ...

twice, playing on the wing in 1947 and at fullback in 1948. Holmes returned to Argentina in 1948 as part of the 1948 Oxford-Cambridge rugby union tour of Argentina, a touring team made up of players from both Cambridge University RUFC and Oxford University RFC which won all nine of its tour matches, including two against the Argentina national team. Holmes's form for Cambridge University in the 1948–49 season led to two appearances in the trial matches for the England team and also an invitation to play for the Barbarians in their annual fixture against

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

. His performance in the second trial match clinched his selection at fullback in England's team for their opening match of the 1949 Five Nations Championship against

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park ( cy, Parc yr Arfau Caerdydd), also known as The Arms Park, is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. It is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green. The Arms Park was host to the British E ...

and he retained his place for the whole championship. Holmes won four caps for England and scored a conversion in each match against Ireland and France for a total of four points. After playing on the Barbarians' 1949 tour of South Wales, Holmes returned to live in Argentina and was selected for the national team after only two games for Old Georgians. He was capped twice for Argentina against France in August and September 1949 but did not score any points. He was married in November 1949 and moved to

Salta Salta () is the capital and largest city in the Argentine province of the same name. With a population of 618,375 according to the 2010 census, it is also the 7th most-populous city in Argentina. The city serves as the cultural and economic ce ...

but died of

typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...

on 10 November 1949, less than a week after his wedding. England rugby historian Barry Bowker described Holmes as a "steady fullback" while

Clem Thomas Richard Clement Charles "Clem" Thomas (28 January 1929 – 5 September 1996) was a international rugby union player. A flanker, he represented Cambridge University R.U.F.C. in the Varsity Match in 1949 and played for Brynamman, Swansea, Lo ...

, a teammate at Cambridge and a Wales international himself, called him "a marvellous man and a great footballer" and said that the news of his death "depressed us enormously".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Barry 1928 births 1949 deaths Alumni of Queens' College, Cambridge Argentine people of British descent Argentine rugby union players Argentina international rugby union players Barbarian F.C. players Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players England international rugby union players People educated at St. George's College, Quilmes Rugby union fullbacks Rugby union wings Rugby union players from Buenos Aires Deaths from typhoid fever