The RFU was saddened to hear of the death on 14th April of past President John Tallent, who played centre for Blackheath, Kent and East Midlands and won five England caps between 1931 and 1935.

A schoolteacher and stock broker, John Tallent was a great man of rugby and President of the RFU in Twickenham Stadium’s Jubilee Year of 1959. He was awarded the CBE for services to rugby football, having been awarded a military OBE and the Territorial Decoration.

Chairman of the Four Home Unions Committee, he was a triple Cambridge Blue and also played for the Barbarians. He was a huge influence at Blackheath RFC, where he became President. He was also later President of Basingstoke RFC.

In World War Two, John Tallent served as a territorial officer with the Heavy Anti-Aircraft Branch of the Royal Artillery and, as Lieutenant Colonel, commanded 118 Regiment in 1945.

A governor of Sherborne School, his abiding passions were education and rugby union and he seldom missed a Twickenham international. He was at the warm-up match v France, derived great pleasure from England’s World Cup win and attended both the recent home Six Nations matches.