Charles Henry "Cherry" Pillman MC (8 January 1890 – 13 November 1955)[2] was an English rugby union international who played on 18 occasions for his country and was part of the first official British Isles team that toured South Africa in 1910.

[3] Pillman's speed and tactics made him one of the leading exponents of an attacking wing forward, now recognised as the flanker position.

Before and after the First World War Charles worked for Pillman & Philips, established by his father in 1885 to import flour from Canada to feed the growing London population.

[8] Charles "Cherry" Pillman first played rugby as a schoolboy for Tonbridge School, and on leaving joined first class club Blackheath.

[9][10] Pillman's tactical play which included the introduction of detaching himself from the pack when opponent's heeled the ball, attacking the opposing fly-half before passing movements could be initiated, brought him to the attention of the English selectors.

The match was against Wales, who England had failed to beat in the last twelve years, and was the first international at the new home of English rugby, Twickenham.

[10] Pillman played an important role in an inexperienced pack, which saw England take an early lead which they defended stoutly in the later stages, winning the game 11–6.

[10] The hard sunbaked ground suited his fast running play, and he was a first choice player for the touring British team.

[10][12] Such was the impact that Pillman had on the Test, that the South African captain Billy Millar later wrote: "I assert confidently that if ever a man can have been said to have won an international match through his unorthodox and lone-handed efforts, it can be said of the inspired black-haired Pillman I played against on the Crusaders' ground on 27 August 1903, when the "Rover" played as fly half, mark you, not as forward.

[1][12][13] On returning to Britain, Pillman found himself back in the England team and he was selected for the opening game of the 1911 Five Nations Championship.

[15] England ended the tournament with an away loss to Ireland and a victory over Scotland, Pillman playing in both, to finish mid table in the Championship.

Pillman had a good game, stopping the South African wing, Jan Stegmann from scoring through a timely intercept.

If it had not been for Victor Coates, the Bath wing, who scored six tries, Pillman would have been his team's top scorer that year, and all from the forward position.

Pillman scored his final international points in the win over Ireland, with a try started by a run in their own half from his captain, Ronald Poulton-Palmer.

[10] As well as club rugby, Pillman played for invitational tourists the Barbarians, joining in the 1909/10 season and scoring a try in the 1911 encounter with Swansea.