The former international rugby union player died on Sunday, February 22 having been moved to the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Mr Parsons, who went by Jim, was born in Chipping Norton on March 13, 1943 and lived in Wootton, near Woodstock, until his death.

Jim Parsons pictured in Oxford colours in 1965 (Image: Archive)

He was well-known in the world of rugby and has been described as a “terrific” player in the second row.

Outside of the game he was a farmer, but his greatest successes was on the rugby pitch having been capped four times by England as a lock in the 1968 Five Nations Championship.

He was introduced as one of eight debutants against Wales at Twickenham.

Lock Parsons was one of Oxford RFC’s best players in Iffley Road and earned his cap after joining Northampton.

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Speaking to the Oxford Times in 2012, he said: “It was a big deal. Wales were a very good team and had far better players than we did.

“A lot of us were fairly amateurish. They had players like Barry John and Gareth Edwards.

“We were winning until right at the end. Their scrum half took a penalty kick, which went under the bar, but Bob Hiller dropped the ball.

“They had a scrum five and scored from it.”

Mr Parsons won four caps for England in 1968, but his top-level career was ended by a knee injury suffered while playing sevens rugby that year.

He vividly remembers how he felt on his England debut.

“It was the most amazing thing ever, trotting out at Twickenham in front of 70,000 people,” said Parsons.