Saints Number: #1174
Saints Career: 1952-1965
Appearances: 273
Position: Scrum-half

Career Statistics

Tries: 48
Conversions: 5
Drop Goals: 2
Total Points: 160

Representative Honours

East Midlands
England (24 caps)
Barbarians
British & Irish Lions (1955 South Africa; 1959 Australia & New Zealand; 1962 South Africa)

Hall of Fame

Inducted: 2004

Dickie Jeeps

Few names are more closely associated with Northampton Saints than Richard Eric Gautrey Jeeps CBE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest scrum-halves of the amateur era, ‘Dickie’ remains the Club’s most-capped British & Irish Lion.

Born in Staffordshire on 25 November 1931, Jeeps was a gifted all-round sportsman. A talented cricketer and footballer, he almost declined a Northampton trial because it clashed with a cricket match. Fortunately for Saints, he accepted the opportunity and began a 13-year career that would bring 273 appearances and 48 tries.

Jeeps’ rise to prominence was rapid. In 1955 he travelled to South Africa with the British & Irish Lions as an uncapped third-choice scrum-half. However, his quick, accurate service soon impressed the coaching staff and his teammates, particularly Welsh fly-half Cliff Morgan. Jeeps went on to play in all four Tests of a celebrated series that finished 2–2 and established himself as one of the outstanding scrum-halves in world rugby.

Two further Lions tours followed in 1959 and 1962. By the time he retired from international rugby, Jeeps had played more Lions Tests than any player before him, a record that stood as a testament to his consistency and quality at the highest level.

His England career was equally distinguished. He won 24 caps, captained his country 13 times and played a key role in England’s Grand Slam-winning campaign of 1957. Calm, intelligent and technically outstanding, he became one of the defining scrum-halves of his era.

Following his playing career, Jeeps remained a leading figure in rugby administration. He served as an England selector from 1965 to 1971 and famously admitted that one of his key selection criteria was simply: ‘Would he get into the Northampton side?’ He later became President of the RFU, chaired the Sports Council for seven years and was awarded a CBE in 1977 for services to sport.

Dickie Jeeps died in October 2016. As a Saint, Lion, England captain and rugby statesman, he occupies a unique place in Northampton Saints’ history.

Hall of Fame profiles have been researched and compiled, with the Club’s grateful thanks, by the volunteers of Northampton Saints Foundation’s Heritage Department – whose work helps preserve and share the rich history of Northampton Saints.