David Cooke is a former a rugby union international who represented

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in 1976.

Early life

David Cooke was born on 10 February 1949 and attended

Gravesend Grammar School Gravesend Grammar School is a selective grammar school with Academy (English school), academy status located in Gravesend, Kent, England. The school accepts boys at age 11 by Eleven-plus exam, examination accepting a cohort of the top 15-20% and ...

Rugby union career

Cooke was selected to tour with England to Argentina following the 1972–73 season. The tour however was cancelled when threats were made that the players would not be safe. A tour to New Zealand was hastily arranged to replace the Argentinian trip but unfortunately for Cooke it was to take place later in the year by which time he had to withdraw from the squad owing to injury. He eventually made his international debut on 17 January 1976 at

Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...

in the

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 ...

match. Of the 4 matches he played for his national side he was never on the winning side. He played his final match for England on 20 March 1976 at

Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater stadium, all-seater Association football, football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement of Paris, 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin ...

in the

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

match. The bulk of his club career was with Harlequins whom he skippered to Middlesex Sevens success in 1978. He ended his first class career with Northampton before stepping down a level to play for Bletchley whom he helped reach their first Buckinghamshire Cup Final in 1981–82.

References

1949 births Living people Alumni of Loughborough University England international rugby union players English rugby union players Harlequin F.C. players Loughborough Students RUFC players People educated at Gravesend Grammar School Rugby union centres Rugby union players from London {{England-rugbyunion-bio-stub