Major Robertson "Robbie" Stewart Smyth (18 August 1879 – 5 April 1916) was an international

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player, who represented and

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. Born in

County Down County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to the ...

, Ireland, he went to Dungannon Royal School, then studied medicine at

Trinity College, Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

, where he obtained his doctorate in 1904. After a year as house surgeon at

Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital ( ga, Ospidéal Sir Patrick Dun) was a hospital and school for physicians on Grand Canal Street, Dublin, Ireland. History Sir Patrick Dun, a prominent physician in Ireland, died in 1713, leaving income generating prope ...

, he was commissioned into the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...

in 1906, and went to India the following year. Smyth captained the

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1st XV, and earned his first of three

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for Ireland, against England, in 1903. He was then invited to join the British Isles tour to South Africa, and played in all three test matches. He also played for the

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on two occasions in 1902, and, after graduating from Trinity College, he played with Wanderers. At the outbreak of the First World War, Smyth went to the Western Front, and remained there until December 1915, when he was invalided by exposure to gas, and retired to London. He was

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. Having given up his commission, he died a few months later in April 1916.

Early life

Robertson Smyth was born on 18 August 1879 in Banbridge, County Down, Ireland. He attended Dungannon Royal School and then

Rugby career

Smyth was invited to play for the

on two occasions in 1902: against

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on 28 March, winning 11–0; and

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on 1 April, losing 17–0. In his second year at Dublin University, Smyth was selected for the 1st XV, and elected captain of the team for the 1902–1903 season. That same season he earned his first cap for against on 14 February 1903, and was selected again to play two weeks later against . In response to an invitation from the

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, it was decided by the

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to send a team to South Africa, and on 27 May,

George Rowland Hill Sir George Rowland Hill (21 January 1855 – 25 April 1928) was an English sporting administrator, official and referee, who is most notable for his role as the Secretary and later President of the Rugby Football Union (RFU). Hill gave 49 years ...

, honorary secretary of the Union, announced the team for the tour to South Africa, Smyth amongst them. He played in all three tests against , the first two being drawn, but the British Isles losing the third. Smyth was selected for Ireland to play one more game, against England on 13 February 1904 away at Blackheath. England had lost all three games of the Home Nations championship in 1903, but after obtaining a draw against in January 1904, its prospects against Ireland looked stronger. The Irish forwards contingent, including Smyth, was regarded as 'very strong', all eight of them having played international rugby, but the backs appeared weaker. After Smyth graduated from Dublin University in 1904, he played rugby for Wanderers, and was part of the team that won the Leinster Senior Cup in 1906.

International appearances

For Ireland: For British Isles:

Military service

After obtaining his medical degree in 1904, Smyth passed selection for the

(RAMC): at the start of the 20th century, many Irish doctors joined the British armed forces. Before joining, he was seconded by the War Office to

, where he was appointed house surgeon in 1905. He took up his commission as lieutenant on 2 January 1906, confirmed 1 July, and went to India in 1907. He was promoted to Captain on 31 January 1909. At the outbreak of the First World War, Smyth went to the Western Front in September 1914. Effective 15 October 1915, Smyth was promoted to Major. He served there until December 1915, when he was invalided due to exposure. Returning to London, he was

in January 1916. Smyth retired, effective 22 February 1916 on a gratuity. He died a few months later, on 5 April, from the effects of the exposure.

References

Bibliography