Inscribed 1871, 1872, 1873 and 1874, it comes for sale by descent in the Hamersley family with a guide of £6000-10,000 at sporting memorabilia specialist Graham Budd’s auction in London on September 5-6.
Hamersley, an Oxfordshire barrister, learned to play rugby at Marlborough College.
He was selected to play for England in the first-ever international against Scotland at Raeburn Place on March 27, 1871 (Scotland won with a score of two tries and a goal to England’s single try).
Hamersley played three more times for his country, his last game a win against Scotland at the Oval on February 23, 1874.
A few months later he emigrated to New Zealand and took up the position of barrister and solicitor in Timaru. He established the province’s first rugby club there in 1875.
In 2013 he was inducted into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame which recognises special achievement and contribution to the sport of rugby union.
