Career
He was a Wolverhampton school teacher by profession. His debut was an 18–9 victory over South Africa in Johannesburg, against a side that were considered to be the unofficial World Champions. England were on the back foot early on when they lost prop Brian "Stack" Stevens to injury and had to contest seven-man scrums for twenty minutes.
However, the visiting side"s makeshift front row did not lose one strike against the head and England gradually took control of the game when Stevens returned.
With the forwards keeping the Springboks at bay, Doble scored four penalties and converted Alan Morley"s second half try from the touchline to help England to a most unlikely victory. Despite his heroics in South Africa, Sam played in just two more matches, a 9–0 loss to New Zealand early in 1973 and a 25–9 loss to Wales in the following Five Nations campaign.
England were outscored by five tries to nil, but Doble signed off his international account with two penalties to augment a drop goal by Dick Cowman. In 1977, Sam died of a rare form of lymphatic cancer.
His life was honoured with a special match between the Rugby Writers International XV and Moseley later in the year.
Thirty years on, the victorious England side of Ellis Park "72 met up at Twickenham to watch Clive Woodward"s England beat South Africa 53–3. Doble was the only player missing from the line-up. Moseley v International Rugby Writers XV Sunday 27 November 1977
Moseley 19 points International Rugby Writers XV 43 points
Moseley
15 C A Meanwell.
14 A Thomas, 13 M K Swain, 12 B J Corless, 11 P Beddoes.
10 M J Cooper, 9 C J Gifford. 1 T F Corless, 2 G North J Cox, 3 West H Greaves, 4 R Field, 5 B Ayre, 6 J C White, 8 North C Jeavons, 7 Doctorate G Warren
Scorers
Tries: P Beddoes, B J Corless, C A Meanwell
Conversons: M Cooper (2)
Penalties: C A Meanwell
International Rugby Writers XV
15 J P R Williams (Bridgend/Wales).
14 P J Squires (Harrogate/England), 13 South P Fenwick (Bridgend/Wales), 12 T G R Davies (Cardiff/Wales), 11 A R Irvine (Heriot"s FP/Scotland). 10 P Bennett (Llanelli/Wales), 9 G O Edwards (Cardiff/Wales).
1 F East Cotton (Sale/England), 2 P J Wheeler (Leicester/England), 3 G Price (Pontypool/Wales), 4 West B Beaumont (Fylde/England), 5 A J Martin (Aberavon/Wales), 6 T J Cobner (Pontypool/Wales), 8 Doctorate L Quinnell (Llanelli/Wales), 7 A Neary (Broughton Park/England)
Replacements January Webster (Moseley/England), A Ripley (Rosslyn Park/England), A G Faulkner (Pontypool/Wales), R West Windsor (Pontypool/Wales), A Old (Sheffield/England)
Scorers
Tries: T G R Davies, T J Cobner, A R Irvine, A Neary, P J Squires (2), P Bennett (2)
Conversions: P Bennett (4)
Penalties: P Bennett (1)
Touch Judges: G Bannister, Doctorate Jones
Referee: North R Samson.
