Star: Basil Hume in Ampleforth 1st XV, 1940

IT’S a funny thing but in the 850 odd years since Britain last produced a Pope – the St Albansborn Adrian IV in 1154 – only two British Cardinals have really been touted as contenders for the big job in Rome and both were avid rugby players and fans.
Readers of this column will be well acquainted with Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor whose brother, the former Ireland No.8 Jim, was the first recorded around-thecorner goal kicker in Test rugby. He landed a long range effort at Twickenham in 1954 when he made his solitary Ir...