A member of the
Rurik dynasty, Obolensky was born at
Petrograd (
now Saint Petersburg) on 17 February 1916, the son of Prince Sergei Alexandrovich Obolensky, an
officer in the
Tsar's Imperial Horse Guards and his wife Princess Lyubov Obolenskaya (
née Naryshkina). The family name derives from the ancient Russian city of
Obolensk; they fled
Russia after the
Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and settled in
Muswell Hill, London. Obolensky was educated at
The Ashe Boys' Preparatory School,
Etwall and
Trent College,
Long Eaton, both in
Derbyshire, before going up to
Brasenose College, Oxford in
Michaelmas 1934, where he held a
college exhibition and read
Politics, Philosophy and Economics; he graduated with a
Fourth Class degree (BA (Oxon)) in 1938. He was also appointed a
Knight of St John in 1938. At
Oxford he won two
rugby blues representing
Oxford University RFC as a
wing/
three-quarter. Having previously played for
Chesterfield RFC whilst still at school, he played for
Leicester Tigers between 1934 and 1939, as well as
Rosslyn Park FC; his selection for
England caused a stir because he was not a British subject, although he was naturalised
British in March 1936. On 4 January 1936. Obolensky scored two tries on his England debut in a 13–0 victory over the
All Blacks, the first time England had beaten
New Zealand. Aided by
Pathé News footage of the game, his name has entered into legend, since the first
try, beating several All Blacks in a run of three-quarters of the length of the field, was widely regarded as the greatest try of the time, and one of the greatest tries ever scored by England. Prince Obolensky won three England caps later that year (against Wales on 18 January, Ireland on 8 February and Scotland on 21 March), but scored no further tries. He was selected as a member of the touring party for the
1936 British Lions tour to Argentina. He also played seven games for the "invitation only"
Barbarian F.C. between 1937 and 1939, scoring three tries. On 12 August 1939, Obolensky was commissioned as an
Acting Pilot Officer in
615 Squadron (
Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF)), being stationed at
RAF Kenley and at the outbreak of the
Second World War in 1939, he joined
RAF 504 Squadron.
Death On 29 March 1940, a day after being recalled to the England squad to play Wales, His aircraft, reference number L1946, dropped into a dip at the end of the runway during landing, breaking his neck. Aged 24, Obolensky was buried at Ipswich New Cemetery. ==Legacy==