Aces High - All-time RAF XV

15. Don Rutherford

Based for two years at RAF Wharton. In 1957 played for the Combined Services side which lost 16-11 to Australia at Twickenham, the following year helped the RAF to their fourth Inter-Services title. 14 England caps and 1 Lions Test in 1966. Later served as the RFU’s first technical director.

14. Cyril Lowe MC DFC

Phenomenally quick wing, below, who scored 18 tries in 25 Tests either side of the WW1. His stats would have been off the Richter scale had war not intervened. Transferred from the Army Service Corps to the Royal Flying Corp in 1916, trained as a pilot and claimed 9 ‘victories’ as the RFC preferred to call them. The model for W E Johns’ Biggles

13. Bleddyn Williams

The Prince of Centres trained as a fighter pilot in Arizona and then served as a glider pilot in operation Varsity in 1944 as the allies mounted a major offensive on the Rhineland. Six days into the operation he was pulled out to play for a Great Britain side against the Dominions at Welford Road, scoring a try and making many others in their 36-3 win.

12. Malcolm Price

Classy Pontypool and Wales centre who made a great impression during his two years of Inter-Services Rugby in 1958-59 after which he was a star turn for the 1959 Lions scoring four tries in five Tests. Later played Rugby League for Oldham, Rochdale Hornets and Great Britain

11. Rory Underwood

Took over from Lowe as England’s record try scorer with 49 tries in 85 Tests for England along with one try for the Lions in the second Test in New Zealand in 1993. Served for nearly 20 years in the RAF flying with 360 Sqn, an electronic countermeasures training squadron, on Canberras at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire and then Hawks at 100 Sqn also at Wyton.

10. Alex Murphy

Spoilt for choice, could have former England captain Lew Cannell or HJC Brown, often rated the best ever uncapped English player, but those who saw future GB Rugby League legend Alex Murphy playing for the RAF during his two years of national sevice have few doubts. A sensational player in either code.

9. Angus Black

The Scotland and Lions man just nicks it from PO Ollwyn Brace the Wales scrum-half and future head of BBC Wales Sport. Black was a medicine graduate from Edinburgh University specialising in psychiatry and enjoyed a long career in the RAF retiring as a group captain. He was one of nine RAF player to represent the Combined Services against the 1953 All Blacks.

1. Jeff Young

Wing commander Jeff Young is probably better known as the teak tough hooker in Wales Grand Slam side of 1971 but he was a more than capable prop as well. 23 Test appearances for Wales and later coached the RAF and in 1988 took charge of the joint Combined Services and British Police tour of New Zealand.

2. William Tyrrell

Air Vice-Marshal Sir William Tyrrell, KBE, DSO, MC. Toured South Africa with the 1910 Lions and was capped nine times at hooker by Ireland before WW1 intervened. Distinguished career with the Army before transferring to the RAF in 1920. Appointed Honorary Surgeon to King George V1 in 1939

3. Charles Beamish

Group Captain Charles Beamish was a fighter pilot who won 12 Ireland caps at prop and toured Argentina with the 1936 Lions. Represented the RAF in ten Inter Service games, captaining them in four. Oldest brother Victor DSO DFC was fine player KIA in 1942 and younger brother Cecil also played ten IS games. And then there was George, see below

4. Peter Larter

Huge goal-kicking lock from Devon who play for the original RAF Colts team in 1963 while at the Radio School at RAF Locking and went on to play in 20 Inter Service games across three decades and make 24 Test appearances for England including against South Africa in 1972 during a famous win over the Springboks at Johannesburg.

5. William Wavell Wakefield

I’m moving the great man to lock where he will of course excel. Founder of RAF Rugby and one of the greats of England rugby captaining them to back to back Grand Slams. A very early pioneer – survivor – of landing an aircraft on modified ships which developed into aircraft carriers or Banana Boats as the RAF calls them. In Civvie street moved into politics and became MP for Swindon.

6. Ken Rees

Wing commander Ken Rees was a firebrand Welsh flanker who captained London Welsh and helped Cheshire to the County Championship in 1950. He is even better known however as the ‘Cooler King’ in Stalag Luft 111 around which the Steve McQueen character was very loosely based and as the commander of Britain’s Valiant V Nuclear Bomber squadron in the 60s

7. Jim Greenwood

Predatory and extremely athletic Scottish flanker who was well ahead of his time. Would have been gold dust today. Went on to become one of the most revered coacher of coaches during a long stint at Loughborough University. Ever present during the 1952 and 1953 Inter Service Championship, went on to become a 1955 Lion playing in all four Tests.

8. George Beamish

Air Marshall Sir George Robert Beamish, above, captained Ireland, appeared in five Lions Tests in 1930 when he insisted the Irish green be incorporated in the Lions socks. Lifer in the RAF rising from squadron leader 45 squadron, masterminded the evacuation of Crete, then SASO of the Desert Air Force Later commandant at Cranwell.