Frank William Whitcombe (21 July 1936 – 2009) was a rugby union footballer of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s who played Rugby Union (RU) for Bradford RFC, Keighley RUFC Northern Command and Army Rugby Union, playing at Prop, i.e. number 1 or 3, and representative level Rugby Union (RU) for Yorkshire, and North Eastern counties.
Early life
Frank was born on 21 July 1936 at 20 Nell Lane in Withington, a suburb of Manchester where his rugby-playing father, also named Frank and originally from Cardiff, had turned professional on 18 September 1935 with Broughton Rangers Rugby league Club who paid £100 for him to turn professional. Of which £90 was to buy him out of the Army leaving him £10 to start a new life in Manchester with his young family.
Franks new club provided him with a job as a zookeeper at Belle Vue Zoological Gardens where Rangers played on the Belle Vue Stadium inside the Motorcycle Speedway track. At this time Belle Vue was the Leisure Centre for the North West of England. When Whitcombe senior was signed by Bradford Northern for a world record fee in 1938, the family crossed the Pennines. Frank Whitcombe senior, a huge man with a matching presence on the field retired from the game in 1949 after an illustrious rugby career.
After moving to Bradford the family lived at 109 Wibsey Park Avenue close to the Odsal Stadium home of Bradford Northern. Frank attended Buttershaw St Paul's Church of England Primary School and later, after passing his 11-plus, Grange Boys' Grammar School. After leaving school he began an electrical apprenticeship before being called up for National Service.
Rugby career Bradford RFC
Frank Whitcombe (329 Appearances) and his brother Brian Whitcombe (174 Appearances) went on to give long and loyal service to Bradford Rugby Football Club. They began their rugby careers with Sedbergh Boys' Club playing junior Rugby League. The club was based near to their home in Wibsey, Bradford, before switching to Bradford RFC.
Under the guidance of the Bradford RFC second team captain, David Firth, both settled quickly to the union game and soon broke into the First Team. Frank making his first appearance for the 1st team at 16 years, like his father before him as a prop forward, Brian made the 1st team age 17 as a back row forward.
Frank became part of a formidable front row with Peter Crowther at hooker and Peter Harrison at tight head prop the trio went on to play for Bradford together 12 years.
Frank captained Bradford for two seasons and played in their Yorkshire Cup winning side of 1966 against Harrogate at Cross Green, Otley in 1966 under the captaincy of Mike Dixon. Playing for Bradford – who had fixtures in London against the likes of Wasps and the Midlands including Coventry & Leicester Tigers – meant he was often away much of Saturday evening, the busiest time of the week at the Airedale Heifer, so he decided to play instead for Keighley RUFC a club he later captained. When his playing days were over in the first team he took over the second team captaincy for several seasons, ensuring the next generation of players knew how to do it the right way. Frank was a life member at Keighley Rugby Club.
Most Bradford RFC appearances
Peter V Crowther 414
– Mike Dixon 369
– Frank W Whitcombe 329
– Jim Golby 318
– Phil Carter 255
– David S Lightowler 275
– Roger Pickering 255
– Geoff Cooke 244
– Foss Howard 235.
Representative honours
Frank Whitcombe was the youngest player to play for Yorkshire, making his debut for the county as a prop forward at the age of 17. He went on to make 31 appearances for Yorkshire in the County Championship, including the County Championship Final of 1963 which Yorkshire lost in the last minutes 13 – 10 to Warwickshire at Coundon Road, Coventry. The Yorkshire side was captained by Bradford's Colin Heighton. In the same year he was named as a reserve for the England final trial at Twickenham. He represented the North Eastern Counties against Wilson Whineray's 5th New Zealand All Blacks team on their tour of Britain at the Great Yorkshire Show grounds Harrogate on 11 January 1964, a game the North Eastern Counties lost by 11–17. Frank also played in Bradford's Yorkshire Cup winning team of 1966 in their 8–3 victory over Harrogate at Cross Green, Otley.
Frank did his national service and served with the Royal Corps of Signals who had an outstanding rugby team at this time. Here he represented the Army Rugby Union for a full season and was selected for his first cap against the Royal Navy at Twickenham. However, due to the death of his father he was unable to take his place in the Army team.