David Joseph Matthews (17 April 1937 – 19 June 2019)[1] was an English rugby union flanker who played a record 502 games for Leicester Tigers from 1955 to 1974 as well as for Leicestershire, Midlands Counties (East) and the Barbarians. At Leicester he was also a coach, director and was a life member.
| Birth name | David Joseph Matthews | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 17 April 1937 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Barrow, Oakham, Rutland | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 19 June 2019 (aged 82) | ||||||||||||||||
| School | Oakham School | ||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Farmer | ||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
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Playing career edit
Matthews joined Tigers direct from Oakham School making his debut as an 18 year old on 3 September 1955 against Bedford at Welford Road. He took a while to establish himself in the club's first team playing only 9 matches over the next 2 seasons but became a regular in the 1957/58 season playing 32 games. Between 1961 and 1963 Matthews played in a record 109 successive games, including every game of 1961/62 and 1962/63 seasons. Matthews was the club's leading try scorer in 1962/63 with 11 tries and set a record for a forward in 1968/69 when he scored 21 tries in 43 games, this was Matthews third ever present season a club record. Matthews was club captain from 1965–1968. Matthews scored his 100th club try against Bristol at the Memorial Ground on 5 April 1969 and ended his career with 119 tries; a record for a forward until Neil Back broke it in 2005. He broke the club's all-time appearance record against Broughton Park on 21 April 1973 with his 492-game and became the only player to make 500 appearances when he played against Northampton on 23 February 1974.[2]
Matthews played in three England trials in 1965–67 without gaining a cap but did face Australia and, despite anti-apartheid protests, against the Springboks with Midlands Counties (East).[3]
Matthews' career lasted 18 years and 187 days, spanning 779 Tigers games in 19 seasons. On both counts this is the second longest Tigers career after Graham Willars.[4]
In February 2011 Matthews was named 56th in Leicestershire's 100 Sporting Greats by the Leicester Mercury.[5]
Coaching and administration career edit
Matthews was first team coach at Tigers from 1988–91 leading the side to the final of the 1988-89 Pilkington Cup, where the side lost to Bath. In 1997 Matthews became a non-executive director of Leicester Tigers serving until retiring in 2007.[6] From 2001–03 Matthews was club president and in 2005 was awarded life membership.[7]
Sources edit
Farmer,Stuart & Hands, David Tigers-Official History of Leicester Football Club (The Rugby DevelopmentFoundation ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5)
References edit
- ^ "David Matthews | The greatest Tiger". Leicester Tigers. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
- ^ Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David. Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby DevelopmentFoundation. p. 390. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.
- ^ "Protests did not stop my one chance to play Springboks – David Matthews". Leicester Mercury. 7 August 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David. Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby DevelopmentFoundation. p. 444. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.
- ^ "Our top 100 list of Leicestershire sporting greats: 60 - 41". Leicester Mercury. 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
- ^ "Woodward joins board at Leicester". 25 October 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
- ^ "Matthews Becomes Tigers Life Member". Leicester Tigers. 17 February 2005. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
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