Stephen Finney
{{Short description|England international rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2012}}
{{distinguish|text=Stephen Finney Mason, British chemist and historian, or Steve Finney, English footballer}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1852|9|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = Marylebone, London, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|1924|3|1|1852|9|8|df=y}}
| death_place = (registered in) Kensington
| height =
| weight =
| position = Halfback
| repteam1 = {{nrut|England}}
| repcaps1 = 2
| reppoints1 =
| ru_ntupdate =
| repyears1 = 1872–1873
| years1 =
| ru_clubupdate =
| apps1 =
| points1 =
| clubs1 = RIE College RFC
| clubs2 = Calcutta
| school = Clifton College
| university = Royal Indian Engineering College
}}
Sir Stephen Finney {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CIE}} (8 September 1852 – 1 March 1924) was a rugby union international who represented England from 1872 to 1873.{{Cite web |url=http://www.espnscrum.com/australia-tour-2010/rugby/player/280.html |title=Stephen Finney Profile |website=scrum.com |access-date=15 March 2011 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022063407/http://www.espnscrum.com/australia-tour-2010/rugby/player/280.html |url-status=live }}
Early life
Stephen Finney was born on 8 September 1852 in Marylebone. He was educated at Clifton College"Clifton College Register" Muirhead, J.A.O. p19: Bristol; J.W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society; April, 1948 and the Royal Indian Engineering College, Cooper's Hill. As well as rugby, Finney also played cricket at Clifton and was said to have been one of the school's finest players.Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes, p237, Volume 121, 1924
Rugby union career
Finney played his rugby in the 1870s in a newly found club close to his working area Crewe Britannia which was short lived, closing in the 1880s. Currently in that area from 1922 is the present Crewe & Nantwich RUFC. Before his days at Crewe Finney made his international debut on 5 February 1872 at The Oval in the England vs Scotland match. Of the two matches he played for his national side he was on the winning side on one occasions. He played his final match for England on 3 March 1873 at Hamilton Crescent, Glasgow in the Scotland vs England match. Of his prowess on the rugby field it was written after his death that "among those qualified to judge he is considered to have had no superior as a fearless and determined halfback". He also appeared with Calcutta FC, oldest rugby and football club in Asia.{{Cite web |title=The Calcutta Cup: the legacy of a club that died |url=http://srustaging.realise.com/sites/default/files/editor/docs/the-calcutta-cup.pdf |access-date=25 March 2015 |website=Scottish Rugby Union |location=London |archive-date=22 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922070100/http://srustaging.realise.com/sites/default/files/editor/docs/the-calcutta-cup.pdf }}
Career
Finney entered the service of the Indian Public Works Department in 1874 and served as assistant and district engineer for four years. He then joined the administrative branch of the Railway Department and stayed there until 1891.Edmund Burke, The Annual register of world events: a review of the year, Volume 166, p119, Longmans, Green, 1925
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Finney, Stephen}}
Category:Alumni of the Royal Indian Engineering College
Category:Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire
Category:England international rugby union players
Category:English rugby union players
Category:People educated at Clifton College
Category:RIE College RFC players
Category:Rugby union halfbacks
Category:Rugby union players from the City of Westminster
Category:People from Marylebone
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