J R Warren (Scotland 1914) and R C Warren (Scotland 1922-30) brothers
They were both capped from Glasgow Academicals.

They are Scottish rugby's forgotten pair of internationalist brothers, probably on account of the eleven-year difference in their ages and the hiatus to rugby caused by the Great War.

John Russell (known as Jack) Warren (born Partick, August 13 1889) and Ronald Crawford Warren (born Partick, October 14 1900) were the eldest and youngest sons of John Alexander Warren and his wife, Phoebe Howden.

Mr Warren senior was a partner in the family-run civil engineering and surveying firm in Glasgow. He married in 1888 and Jack was the first of five sons and a daughter who were all born in the Partick area between 1889 and 1900. All five sons passed through Glasgow Academy and played for the school's first XV before graduating to the club's senior sides. Indeed, between 1908 (when John established his place in the First XV) and the early 1930s (when Ronald retired), hardly a Glasgow Acads XV took the field without one of the brothers in its back division.

The five Warren boys, in birth order, were as follows:

John Russell "Jack" (1889-1941) - capped once, against Ireland in 1914, as a centre. He attended Glasgow University and became a partner in the family business. During the Great War he served in France with the Royal Engineers and was mentioned in dispatches. In 1916 he was awarded the M.C. and as Major Warren commanded a field company of the 51st Highland Division. He died in Glasgow in 1941.

George Howden (1890-1969) - the speedster of the family, playing on the wing outside Jack in the Glasgow Acads side which won the Scottish club championship in 1912-13. An early historian of Scottish rugby described the brothers as "dependable in any sort of game." George served with the Highland Light Infantry in the Great War. He died in Glasgow in 1969.

Thomas Allan (1894-1985) - played full-back for Glasgow Acads in the last season before the Great War. He emigrated, married overseas and died in 1985. His final resting place was in Australia.

Alistair Bruce (1895-1916) - considered by some the most promising player in the family. After playing for the Academy XV as full-back in 1913, he turned out regularly for Glasgow Academicals A XV in his first season out of school and was on the verge of establishing himself as the 1st XV full-back when War broke out. He served with the Highland Light Infantry and was killed in action on the opening day of the First Battle of the Somme. His name is on the Thiepval Memorial.

Ronald Crawford (1900-1992) - the "baby" of the family. He followed Jack and their father into civil engineering. He played full-back, centre and fly-half for the Academical team from 1919 until the early 1930s and won five caps for Scotland: two as a centre in 1922 and three more, at full-back, in 1930. He died in Glasgow in 1992 aged 91.

Their father died in 1961, aged 100, and was survived by three of his sons as well as his daughter, Phoebe (1898-1973).

John Russell Warren is shown standing far right back-row on the 1912-13 Glasgow Acads team. His (next oldest) brother George Howden Warren, who played on the wing outside him in that team, is standing in the middle of that back row on the photo.

This article was originally posted on 29-Mar-2014, 08:27 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 29-Mar-2014, 12:37.