Donald Louis G. Sanders

Donald Louis G. Sanders

Donald Louis Sanders, known as Sandy, was born in Fulham, London, on 6 September 1924 and educated at St Margaret's School in Ipswich before wartime service in the Royal Navy as a radio operator. He later worked as a sales representative. Having initially played at prop for Ipswich YMCA and at county level for Eastern Counties, he joined Harlequins in 1953. He played for London Counties against New Zealand in the same year before gaining the first of his nine caps for England against Wales in January 1954. He retained his place in the side for the rest of the season and returned for his final four caps in 1956. His playing career ended when injured as a passenger in a road accident while touring Yugoslavia with Harlequins in 1956. He then became a distinguished administrator, both as a national selector and team manager when England toured to and beat New Zealand in 1973. He was president of the RFU in 1989/90. He played for the Barbarians in three consecutive Mobbs Memorial Matches. Sandy Sanders died on 25 October 2011, aged 87.