Peter Hordern
Versatile Pack Leader and International Forward
By John Theyers
Peter Hordern was a versatile utility forward who played prop, flanker and No.8 for Gloucester from 1932-37 and in all three positions for England. He played county rugby for Devon, North Midlands and Hampshire and appeared a remarkable 19 times for the Barbarians, twice as an emergency full back. He toured Argentina with the 1936 Great Britain side.
Peter Cotton Hordern was born on May 13, 1907 at Berkhampstead and was educated at BrightonCollege. He played both rugby and cricket for the school. In his first two years at Oxford, he failed to get in to the University side, but played for Blackheath and Old Brightonians. He won a blue in 1928-29, his final year.
On leaving Oxford, Hordern joined Newport for the 1929-30 season and played for Devon in the CountyChampionship. The following season he played in all three England trials and then, in three successive internationals, played against Ireland at prop, Scotland at flanker and France, again at prop. In 1931-32, his last season with Newport, he led the pack and played for Newport against the South Africans and for the Barbarians against Leicester.
Peter Hordern joined Gloucester for the 1932 -33 season, playing regularly at prop or in the back row and played at prop for the Barbarians on their Easter tour. Now a schoolmaster at Bromsgrove School, he made his debut for North Midlands in the County Championship. In January 1934 he played at No 8 in a 9-0 victory for England over Wales at Cardiff, his fourth and last international. He was selected to play in the next game against Ireland, but had to withdraw and was not selected again. In April that year, he played as an emergency full back for the Barbarians against Swansea and Newport on their Easter tour. They won both games! He was still in contention for an England place the following season and played for the Probables in the second England trial, for North Midlands and for the Barbarians.
From 1935 to 1937 Hordern continued to play regularly for Gloucester and took over from Wadley as pack leader. In 1935-36 he played county rugby for Hampshire and played in the side that beat Northumberland in the County Championship Final. He played for Hampshire & Sussex against the All Blacks. At the end of that season he was one of two Gloucester players to be selected to tour Argentina with the Great Britain side (John A’Bear was the other).
Peter Hordern retired from top rugby at the end of the 1936-37 season but continued to referee for several years. He died in Peterborough on June 22, 1988.