MICHAEL Tanner attributes his sporting success to two ‘giants’ in the Oxfordshire rugby world – Lynn Evans and Charlie Ede.

Both helped further the career of the Littlemore Grammar School boy who won places in school, club, county and university teams.

Mr Tanner writes: “We didn’t play rugby at Littlemore until Lynn arrived on the teaching staff.

“Hearing my name, he said: ‘Tanner, eh? Heard of Haydn Tanner? Best scrum-half ever! You’ll be my scrum half’.

“Our young XV took some hammerings, but Lynn took me under his wing, often imparting his tactical kicking wisdom via individual coaching during the lunch hour – ‘Boots off! You need to feel that ball! Caress it!’ “I played for Oxfordshire Schools 19 Group in 1963-4 and 1964-5. In addition to playing for my school on a Saturday morning, Lynn saw to it that I played for Oxford RFC Colts in the afternoon!

“That led to encountering another legendary figure in local rugby – Charlie Ede. I was allowed the odd Thursday afternoon off school to play for Charlie’s Thursday XV. What a grounding that was!

“My debut for Oxford RFC First XV came just before I started at St Edmund Hall in October 1965. Lynn was my half-back partner. We put 33 points on Old Askeans and I scored three tries.

“A few weeks later, I played well enough against a star-studded Bedford XV (when David Bagnall was again out injured) to be carded as reserve for the County XV. Maurice Palmer hurt a wrist and I played in the victories over Bucks and then Berks as Oxfordshire went on to win the Southern Group. In the spring, I played against the University.”

Mr Tanner played for Oxford University in 24 games in 1967 and 1968, but never won his Blue.

He recalls: “The presence of Nigel Starmer Smith didn’t help much, nor did the arrival of All Black Chris Laidlaw which consigned me to the Oxford University Greyhounds when otherwise it might have been a date at Twickenham against Cambridge.”

But there was consolation at college level with St Edmund Hall winning Cuppers in each of his four seasons.

“We were almost University standard – one year, my back row was Tony Bucknall (future England captain), Tom Bedford (Springbok captain) and Peter Dixon (future Lion and England skipper).”

Mr Tanner now lives in Lincolnshire, but has fond memories of his Oxford roots.

He was born at the old Cowley Road Hospital in 1947 and lived with his family in the Slade Camp huts at Headington before moving to Northway Estate and later to Rose Hill.

He writes: “I was among the first intake to Littlemore Grammar School in 1958 under the headship of Ben ‘Doc’ Halliday, a wonderful man whose staff were inspirational, none more so than Peter (now Sir Peter) Newsam.

“He opened my eyes to the possibility of entering Oxford University. Thanks to his guidance, and some ability on the rugby field, that goal was attained in 1965. I was the first from Littlemore Grammar School to enter Oxbridge.”

After a career in teaching, he is now a full-time writer, with 25 books, mostly on sport, to his credit. His latest book, The Oxford Murder, about the hanging of Henry Seymour for killing widow Annie Kempson in St Clement’s in 1931, was featured in Memory Lane in November.

Lynn Evans was honoured in 2004 at a dinner organised by the Oxfordshire RFU to mark his retirement as the county’s rugby development officer and his long commitment to the sport.

Charlie Ede died in 2013 after playing in and running rugby teams in the county for many years. He became well known for entering teams in countless sevens tournaments.