Richard Sharp (rugby union)
British Lions and England rugby union player (1938–2025)
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Richard Adrian William Sharp OBE (9 September 1938 – 3 November 2025) was an English rugby union player. Born in India during the British Raj, his family moved to Cornwall, England, where he was educated at Montpelier School, Paignton and Blundell's School in the neighbouring county of Devon[1] and at Balliol College, Oxford. He was a player at Redruth R.F.C., Wasps FC, Bristol FC[2] and for England (14 caps) as fly-half and captain. He played for England while at Oxford[3] and led England to the Five Nations title in 1963.[4] He played cricket for Cornwall in the Minor Counties Championship between 1957 and 1970.[5]
9 September 1938
| Born | Richard Adrian William Sharp 9 September 1938 Bangalore, Kingdom of Mysore, India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Died | 3 November 2025 (aged 87) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Blundell's School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Balliol College, University of Oxford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1986 New Year Honours, for services to Sport, particularly in the South West.[6]
Bernard Cornwell named the fictional character Richard Sharpe after him.[7][8]
Sharp died from complications of Parkinson's disease on 3 November 2025, at the age of 87.[9][10]
