Mike Burton (rugby union) Mike Burton (rugby union) Michael Alan "Mike" Burton (born 18 December 1945 in Maidenhead) is a former English rugby union footballer, who won a reputation as an uncompromising prop forward for Gloucester, England and the British and Irish Lions. Burton arrived at Kingsholm from the local club Longlevens RFC and made his debut in the Gloucester front row at the age of 18 on 14 November, 1964. He went on to make 366 appearances before retiring in 1978. He was captain of Gloucester in the 1975 season and played 50 times at provincial level for Gloucestershire including 39 appearances in
Comparison of rugby league and rugby union I to play a one-off challenge game against the Royal Navy Depot from Plymouth in 1917. This was precursor to the following Christmas when two Challenge games were organised between the two sides but this time with one of each code. The Navy won the union game, 9–3, on Christmas Eve but proved equally adept at league recording a 24–3 win on 28 December. During World War II, the RFU relaxed its restrictions on rugby league footballers playing rugby union. In 1943, a Northern Command army rugby league side defeated a Northern Command union side, 18–11, at Headingley under rugby