Background
A member of the Rurik dynasty, he was born at Petrograd (now Street St. Petersburg) on 17 February 1916, the son of Prince Serge Obolensky, an officer in the Tsar"s Imperial Horse Guards and his wife Princess Lubov" (née Naryshkina).
A member of the Rurik dynasty, he was born at Petrograd (now Street St. Petersburg) on 17 February 1916, the son of Prince Serge Obolensky, an officer in the Tsar"s Imperial Horse Guards and his wife Princess Lubov" (née Naryshkina).
Brasenose College.
He was, and remains, popularly known as "The Flying Prince", "The Flying Slav", or simply as "Obo" to many sports fans. 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, United Kingdom. He was appointed a Knight of Street John in 1938.
Having previously played for Chesterfield Football Club whilst still at school, he played for Leicester Football Club between 1934 and 1939, as well as Rosslyn Park Football Club. 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. He also played seven games for the "invitation only" Barbarian Football Club between 1937 and 1939, scoring 3 tries. On 12 August 1939, Obolensky was commissioned as an Acting Pilot Officer in 615 Squadron (Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF)), being stationed at Royal Air Force Kenley and at the outbreak of World World War II in 1939, he joined Royal Air Force 504 Squadron.
On 29 March 1940, a day after being recalled to the England squad to play Wales, Pilot Officer Obolensky was killed during training when his Hawker Hurricane Mark 1 overshot the runway at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk.
His aircraft, reference number L1946, dropped into a ravine at the end of the runway during landing, breaking his neck. Aged 24, Prince Obolensky was buried at Ipswich New Cemetery.
The "Obolensky Lecture" is given annually on the subject of rugby football, and at Twickenham there is a suite named Obolensky"s in his honour. A building is named in his memory at his former school, Trent College.
The "Prince Obolensky Award" is presented annually by the Prince Obolensky Association at Rosslyn Park F.C.
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 (Bachelor (Oxfordshire)) in 1938. He was selected as a member of the touring party for the 1936 British Lions tour to Argentina.