William Roche (rugby union)

Rugby player

William Roche

Birth name

William Joseph Roche

Date of birth

28 March 1895

Place of birth

Limerick
Ireland

Date of death

26 June 1983

Place of death

Bandon, County Cork
Ireland

University

University College Cork

Rugby union career

Senior career
Position(s)	Number 8
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
19xx-19xx	University College Cork		()
1920-1927	Newport		()
Provincial / State sides
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
	Munster		()
International career
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
1920	Ireland	3	(3)
1924	British Lions	0	(0)

William Joseph Roche (28 March 1895 in Limerick, Ireland – 26 June 1983 in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland) was an Irish rugby union player who represented Munster, Ireland and the British Lions. He also played club rugby for both University College Cork and Newport.

Club career

Between 1920 and 1927 Roche played club rugby for Newport and was captain during the 1926-27 season. In 1926 he captained the club against the New Zealand Māoris in a game which ended in a 0-0 draw.

Rugby international

Ireland

Roche won 3 caps for Ireland during the 1920 Five Nations Championship. He made his debut against England at Lansdowne Road on 14 February in a 14-11 defeat. He then played against Scotland on 28 February at Inverleith in a 19-0 defeat. He won his final cap against France on 3 April in a 15-7 defeat at Lansdowne. While playing for Ireland, his teammates included Ernie Crawford.

British Lions

Roche was also selected for the British Lions squad for their 1924 tour of South Africa. However he did not play in any of the Test matches against South Africa.

References

Rugby Union Captain
Preceded byHarold Davies	Newport RFC Captain 1926-1927	Succeeded byVince Griffiths

v t e British Lions – 1924 South Africa tour
Forwards	Blakiston (Blackheath) Bradley (Dolphin) Brand (North of Ireland FC) Clinch (Dublin University) Cove-Smith (Old Merchant Taylors) (capt) D. Davies (Hawick and Scotland) Henderson (Newcastle Northern and Scotland) Hendrie (Heriots FP and Scotland) R.A. Howie (Kirkcaldy RFC and Scotland) Marsden-Jones (Cardiff and London Welsh) McPherson (Newport) McVicker (Collegians) Roche (UCC and Newport) Ross (Kilmarnock and Scotland) Voyce (Gloucester)
Backs	Bordass (Cambridge University) Cunningham (Lansdowne) H. Davies (Newport) Drysdale (Heriots FP and Scotland) W.F. Gaisford (St. Bart's Hospital) V. Griffiths (Newport) Holliday (Aspatria) Harris (Blackheath) Harding (Swansea) Kinnear (Heriots FP and Scotland) Maxwell (Birkenhead Park) Ian Smith (Oxford University and Scotland) Waddell (Glasgow Academicals and Scotland) Wallace (Percy Park) Whitley (Northern) Young (Blackheath)
Coach	Manager: Harry Packer

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