Charles Sawyer (rugby)

Charles Montague Sawyer (20 March 1856 — 30 March 1921 (aged 65)) born in Rusholme, was an English cricketer, and rugby union footballer of the 1880s, playing representative level cricket for Lancashire, Gentlemen of Lancashire, and at club level for Broughton Cricket Club[1], and playing representative level rugby union (RU) for England, and at club level for Broughton RUFC, as a Three-quarters, e.g. Wing, or Centre, he died in Ormskirk.

He appeared in two first-class matches in 1884 as a righthanded batsman, scoring 21 runs with a highest score of 11*.

Charles Sawyer won caps for England while at Broughton RUFC in the 1879–80 Home Nations rugby union matches against Scotland, and scored a try in the 1880–81 Home Nations rugby union matches against Ireland.

In the early years of rugby football the goal was to score goals, and a try had zero value, but it provided the opportunity to try at goal, and convert the try to a goal with an unopposed kick at the goal posts. The point values of both the try and goal have varied over time, and in the early years footballers could "score" a try, without scoring any points.