A fine and rare sepia-toned photograph of the first England team to play an international rugby match in Ireland in 1875, the image 9 by 11 1/2in., in

A fine and rare sepia-toned photograph of the first England team to play an international rugby match in Ireland in 1875, the image 9 by 11 1/2in., ink manuscript legend reading THE ENGLAND TWENTY - PLAYED AT DUBLIN ON DECEMBER 12th 1875 The 1875-76 season was the last where the teams fielded 20-a-side. The scoring system was based on a 'goal' being awarded for a successfully converted try, or from a dropped goal or for a goal from mark. The match was played at Leinster Cricket Ground, Rathmines. England won this match 1-0 when Pearson converted Clark's try. This was only the second Ireland v England rugby international, the first having took place the previous season at the Kennington Oval. The England twenty are: S H M Login (Royal Naval College), Alec Pearson (Blackheath), C R Gunner (Marlborough Nomads), A T Mitchell (Oxford University), C W H Clark (Liverpool), W E Collins (St George's Hospital), J V Brewer (Gipsies), C C Bryden (Clapham Rovers), Andrew Bulteel (Manchester), James Bush (Clifton), H J Graham (Wimbledon Hornets), J D G Graham (Wimbledon Hornets), W Greg (Manchester), W H H Hutchinson (Hull), Edward Kewley (Liverpool), Francis Luscombe (Capt., Gipsies), E E Marriott (Manchester), Murray Marshall (Blackheath), Edward Beadon Turner (St George's Hospital) & C L Verelst (Liverpool).