Rucker was born at Chislehurst in May 1900. He was educated at Charterhouse School, before going up to Brasenose College, Oxford. While studying at Oxford, he played first-class cricket for Oxford University in 1919. In his debut match against the Gentlemen of England at Oxford, he bowled the first delivery in first-class cricket since the 1918 Armistice and the first since the suspension of first-class cricket in 1914. He made seven first-class appearances for Oxford in 1919, which included playing in The University Match against Cambridge. He took 11 wickets with his left-arm medium pace bowling, at an average of 42.00 and best figures of 4 for 107.