Peter George Derek Robbins

Peter George Derek Robbins

Peter George Derek Robbins was born in Coventry on 30 June 1933 and educated at Bishop Vesey Grammar School, Sutton Coldfield, and Oxford University. He gained four Blues at open-side wing-forward between 1954 and 1957. Originally a schoolteacher, after his playing days he became rugby correspondent of the 'Financial Times'. He played club rugby for Coventry and Moseley and won 19 caps for England between 1956 and 1962. He was an original selection for the 1959 British Isles tour to Australasia but was forced to withdraw after breaking a leg while playing for the Barbarians at Newport on Easter Tuesday. A similar misfortune had forced him to pull out of the Barbarians' tour to Canada in 1957. The 12 games he did play for the Barbarians included the fixtures against Australia in 1958 and Canada in 1962 and he was captain against Newport in 1959. Peter Robbins died on 25 March 1987, aged 53.