Carston Catcheside

Carston Catheside

Birth name	Howard Carston Catcheside
Date of birth	(1899-08-18)18 August 1899
Place of birth	Sunderland, England
Date of death	10 May 1987(1987-05-10) (aged 87)
Place of death	Wandsworth, England
School	Oundle School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) Percy Park () – Northumberland () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1924-1927 England 8 (18)

Howard Carston Catcheside OBE (18 August 1899 – 10 May 1987) was an English rugby union player. He was nicknamed 'Catchy'. He won eight caps for England and in his later life became a rugby administrator.

Personal history

Catheside was born in Sunderland, England in 1899. He was educated at Oundle School in Northampton. With the outbreak of First World War, Catcheside served in the British Army where posted to the Royal Field Artillery, reaching the rank of second-lieutenant. He served his country again in the Second World War, once more in the Royal Field Artillery, where he was lieutenant-colonel. He received the OBE for military duties in 1945.

Rugby career

Catcheside came to prominence as a rugby player while playing at wing for Percy Park, the team he would represent throughout his entire international career. He was also selected at county level and represented Northumberland.

He made his England debut on 19 January 1924 against Wales. That year he became the first player to score a try in each round of the then Five nations championship, with two tries coming against Wales. His final game for England came against Scotland on 10 March 1927.

Between 1932 and 1940 he was honorary treasurer of the Northumberland Rugby Union and from 1936 until 1962 he was a selector for the Rugby Football Union (RFU). In 1951 he was made chairman of the RFU, a post he held until 1962.