RUGBY PRINCE KILLED FLYING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 77, 1 April 1940, Page 13

RUGBY PRINCE KILLED FLYING.

PILOT OBOLENSKY.

MAN WHO BEAT ALL BLACKS

ENGLAND'S ONLY FOREIGN CAP

A Press cablegram from London etatea that Ohe famous Rugby international Player. Pilot-Officer Prince Obolensky, aged 24, was killed in an accident while landing a 'plane on Friday. He wae a member of the English team which defeated Wales on March 9, and wae selected to play in the return match on April 13. He won Rugby fame in a day by two remarkable triee for England against New Zealand ar Twickenham in 1936.

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As far ae Xew Zealand is concerned Obolensky flaehed into fame on a dVy wjuchXe,,- Zealand does not count among her triumphs. It was on January 4 1936 when the All Blick. were Wen S in the final I*t against Britain.

It was largely the doing of this RuseUn Fnnce, who was one ot the fastest threequarters seen in Britain. He scored twice in that historic match, out-pacing everything on the field. Strange to say, a little time before that, he had never been heard of. But before 70.000 people at Twickenham he showed that hie inclusion in the team had been fully warranted, for it was England's first victory over a visit' mg New Zealand team.

Alexander Obolensky was born in Petrograd in 1916, but when he we* two year* old he was taken to England to save him irom the Bolshevik menace to noble families. His father had been an officer in the Czar'e Imperial Guard, but the boy was educated at Trent College. Derbyshire, and Brasenose College, Oxford. \t both, he showed remarkable proficiency in outdoor eports. especially in running and Rugby football. *

In 1930 he was chosen to represent Oxford at Rugby and proved it* fastest Player, scoring more tries in the season than any other member of the team Againet Cambridge Univereity in December, 1535 he saved his side from defeat iby thrilling play which brought him fame.

A Cambridge man had the ball with a clear run of 40 yards before him, eo that a tT tor Cambridge looked certain Üboiensky, ihowever, flaehed across from hm wing and, with a magnificent taclde hurled the man into touch not a yard from the line. The match ended in" a draw. 1 laying against another strong team shortly after, .he scored a try after running three-quarters of the field.

Obolensky's name was proposed for membership in the English team then being picked to play the final match against the AH Blacks. Objection wae raised that he was etill a Russian, but the difficulty was overcome and he wae chosen.

In Maneh Obolensky was naturalised and a week later left England as a member of the Ruffby team to tour the United States. He hoped that when he left Oxford he would be aible to enter the British Civil Service, but, as in the case of many other young men, the war made a difference in his choice of career. Instead of entering the Civil Service, he became a pilot in the Royal Air Force