John Southern Spencer (born 10 August 1947) is a former

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international

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player.

Early life

Spencer was born in Grassington,

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, in 1947 and educated at Cressbrook,

Sedbergh School Sedbergh School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding school, boarding and day school, day school) in the town of Sedbergh in Cumbria, North West England. It comprise ...

, and

Queens' College, Cambridge Queens' College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Queens' is one of the 16 "old colleges" of the university, and was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou. Its buildings span the R ...

Playing career

Spencer played for

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

in the Varsity Matches of 1967, 1968 and 1969. He played club rugby for

Headingley Headingley is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road. Headingley is the location of the Beckett Park campus of Leeds Beckett University and Headingley ...

as a centre and made his England debut at the age of 21 against

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

Lansdowne Road Lansdowne Road Stadium (, ) was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) that was primarily used for rugby union and association football matches. The stadium was demolished in 2007 to make way for the Aviva Stadium on ...

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, in February 1969. He went on to play 14 times for England, scoring 2 tries. His last game was against the President's Overseas XV in a

Rugby Football Union The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the Sports governing body, national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby ...

centenary match at

Twickenham Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...

in April 1971. He captained England in four internationals. Spencer was selected for the 1971 British Lions tour to New Zealand and played in ten matches on the tour. He also represented the Barbarians. In a long Barbarians' career Spencer played 23 games, captained the side on 10 occasions and went on seven consecutive Easter tours to Wales. His 11 tries for the club include a hat-trick against Newport in 1973. He also played against South Africa, Scotland and Fiji in 1970.

Administrative roles

Spencer was President of the RFU in 2017-18 and President of the Wharfedale R.U.F.C. in Grassington. Spencer was the tour manager for the British & Irish Lions on their 2017 tour to New Zealand. In December 2019 Spencer was named as President of the Barbarians.Spencer announced as Barbarians President
lionsrugby.com following his Presidency of the RFU and role as manager of the British & Irish Lions.

Personal life

Spencer is married to Amanda, and has three children and 4 grandchildren.

References

1947 births Living people English rugby union players England international rugby union players British & Irish Lions rugby union players from England Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players Barbarian F.C. players Rugby union centres Alumni of Queens' College, Cambridge People educated at Sedbergh School People from Grassington Wharfedale R.U.F.C. players Rugby union players from North Yorkshire 20th-century English sportsmen {{England-rugbyunion-bio-1940s-stub