He played representative level rugby league (RL) for England and Cumberland, and at club level for Seaton ARLFC (in Seaton near Workington, now represented by Seaton Rangers of the Cumberland League) and Huddersfield (captain) as a fullback, wing, centre, or stand-off[1] he coached club level rugby league (RL) for Huddersfield and Keighley, before moving to Sydney to coach the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles,[3] he played representative level rugby union (RU) for Rugby League XV (during World War II), as a full-back.

Pepperell played fullback in Cumberland's 5–4 victory over Australia in the 1948–49 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France match at the Recreation Ground, Whitehaven on Wednesday 13 October 1948, in front of a crowd of 8,818.

[7] Pepperell played at stand-off in Huddersfield's 2–20 defeat by Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1949–50 season at Maine Road, Manchester on Saturday 13 May 1950.

Pepperell played at centre and was captain in Huddersfield's 15–10 victory over St. Helens in the 1953 Challenge Cup Final during the 1952–53 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 25 April 1953, in front of a crowd of 89,588.

[9] Pepperell played stand-off in Huddersfield's 4–11 defeat by Bradford Northern in the 1949 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1949–50 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1949, played, and scored two tries in the 16–3 victory over Castleford in the 1950 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1950–51 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 4 November 1950, and played stand-off in the 18–8 victory over Batley in the 1952 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1952–53 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 15 November 1952.