A player with a wide-spanning career, Gus Risman played at the top level of rugby league for a quarter of a century. In front of a 6,000-strong crowd at Wigan, an Other Nationalities side, wearing green jerseys and made up of Welsh and Scottish players, edged past England 9-3 in a friendly on April 5. Here, RUCK name rugby's 20 greatest captains but it's up to you to decide who should be No.1. Novak Djokovic has surpassed Steffi Graf for the most weeks as world number one with his 378th week at the summit of the men's charts. Since the team's first official match in 1904, over 700 players have been selected to represent England. Part of the Great Britain squad which won the Rugby League World Cup in 1960, the strong-running lock was a fierce defender throughout his 14-year career. The man many people believe was the greatest British rugby league player of all time, was named captain of Great Britain in 1988 having scored a remarkable 12 tries for Great Britain in 1984. After learning his trade in rugby union during his junior days, Billy switched codes at the age of 19 and was snapped up by Wigan after impressing with the Catterick-based Royal Signals. France staged its first Rugby League match in 1933. David Watkins scored in 92 consecutive matches for Salford from 19 August 1972 to 25 April 1974. RLWC2017 takes place in Australia and New Zealand and England reach the World Cup Final losing out narrowly 6-0 to Australia. Van Vollenhoven is the only South African representative in the Hall of Fame. The scrum-half made his name on the Lions' tour of Australia in 1958 aged just 19. London make the Final for the first time, but Leicester-born Lance Todd Trohpy winner Leroy Rivett scores a then-record four tries in the game to help Leeds to a 56-12 win over the Broncos, their 11th Cup title. Tenacious Welshman Jonathan Davies only racked up 13 Test appearances for GB but produced some of the most memorable moments from the 90s. And he won more Great Britain caps than either of them 24 in total. Millward, inducted in 2000, enjoyed a playing career which spanned from 1964 to 1980. And when Great Britain secured the trophy in the third test he was rightly treated as hero and carried around on the shoulders of his teammates. Karalius career spanned from 1952-1966 as a loose forward, making his name with St. Helens and Widnes. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta can be quite the disciplinarian and is a big fan of leadership within his Gunners squad.. Before a ball had been kicked this season, he named Martin Odegaard as the new . He led by example on the pitch too scoring four tries as Great Britain made it to the final. Suggestions? Rugby League's first ever televised match took place in 1948 as Wigan beat Bradford 8-3 in the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley. Meanwhile, the value of drop goals was halved to one point, alongside the introduction of sponsors for the first time and official timekeepers. The last-ever Challenge Cup Final to be played at the 'Old' Wembley takes place. The full-back will forever be regarded as a legend in rugby league, having earned 25 caps for Great Britain, with 15 of them as captain. The World Club Challenge begins unofficially as Sydney's Eastern Suburbs beat St Helens 25-2 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Find Great Britain Rugby League Captain stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. His debut season in League saw him take the coveted Man of Steel accolade, while he helped Widnes to successive titles between 1987 and 1989, going on to become the games costliest player when moving from Widnes to Wigan for 440,000 in January 1992, where he scored ten tries in one game against Leeds. Amashukeli's impressive performances mean he is tipped to referee at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, 16 years after watching the 2007 tournament and falling in love with the game he is now excelling in . Ian Watson explains why there was such a backlash to, Scott Taylor has his say on "frustrating" ban for Richie, Ian Watson says Wakefield pitch situation should have been, Lee Jewitt returns to former club for "one more season", Paul Wellens provides St Helens injury update, St Helens have no excuses against "pants" Leeds Rhinos says, Ian Watson says Warrington Wolves star looks like the Man of. Many of our sports greatest ever players have skippered the Lions and achieved superb success for the national team. players to have played for Great Britain. Age: 53. Toulouse Olympique also return to the English game after leaving the Championship in 2011. No list of great captains would be complete without the only man to captain two World Cup winning sides. Select from premium Great Britain Rugby League Captain of the highest quality. To the long list of Wigan legends who grace the Rugby Leagues Hall of Fame Jim Sullivan, Eric Ashton, Boston, Ellery Hanley, Martin Offiah, Mick Sullivan, Shaun Edwards add the name Andy Gregory. The 21-time Grand Slam winner equalled Graf's long-standing . Cardiff-bornClive Sullivanwas the last Great Britain captain to lift the World Cup trophy, leading the nation to success in 1972. 3845473, VAT No. After being named Huddersfield captain at the age of just 19, he would be named Great Britain captain 2 years later. And he achieved them with a style that was unique, including his unmatched double-kick acceleration, the long, hanging passes and an unerring goal-kicking accuracy despite a minimal run-up. They win 22-20 in front of a crowd of over 500 at The Gnoll. He toured Australia three times and captained the side in both 1924 and 1928, guiding Great Britain to two Ashes wins. The six-tackle rule was introduced. In 2014, the award was renamed after former England playerSteve Prescott, aftera petition with over 12,000 signatures was sent to theRugby Football League, calling for the award to be renamed in Prescott's honour. It wouldn't be World Book Day without Harry Potter! His rise to prominence came in his debut season with Hunslet when at the age of 17, he helped them to win all four cups: the League Championship, Challenge Cup, Yorkshire League and Yorkshire Cup. It takes a special leader to break down the barriers of segregation and oppression but to do so whilst guiding a side to victory is something else entirely. 67 (including 2 draws) by Runcorn Highfield from November 1988 to February 1991. The hooker began every match from then until his run of starting appearances ended at 239 after he played in a Lancashire Cup-tie at home to St. Helens on 5 September 1982.The record refers to consecutive appearances for one club and does not include representative matches. The Millennium Magic Event is introduced. As skipper, he helped mastermind Great Britains first victory over the Australians in 10 seasons. Although he had a large build, Boston had a terrific turn of pace and often ran rings around opponents whilst playing for Wigan. (two spells) . He would go on to coach Hull Kingston Rovers, Yorkshire and Great Britain again, before finally leaving the game to concentrate on his business interests. England host the Men's, Women's and Wheelchair Rugby League World Cups simultaneously in the biggest and most inclusive Rugby League World Cup of all-time. Select from premium Great Britain Rugby League Captain of the highest quality. A full round of Super League fixtures is staged over one weekend in Cardiff, while the Challenge Cup Final returns to Wembley. He also had the honour of captaining Great Britain but on the field, he only led the side for less than half a game, due to a number of injury problems. 1990s and 2000s. Turner played in an era of great loose-forwards, including Vince Karalius and Johnny Whiteley. His most productive campaign came in the 1952/53 season, where he scored an incredible 72 tries and he ended his career with a hat-trick of tries or more in a single game 100 times. One of the most explosively-fast wingers to play our game, the Widnes and Wigan great always turned up in a GB jersey. He also captained Wales in the 1975 World Cup, when he led them to a victory over England. Rugby League became a 13-a-side sport, alongside the introduction of the game's distinctive play-the-ball movement, while all 31 professional teams were merged into one league. The man, the myth, the legend. The #RLNewEra begins. Nobody has captained the Kangaroos on more occasions than Lockyer, with the half-back wearing the armband on 38 occasions from 2003-2011. Welshman Tommy Harris holds the record for most matches played by any hooker for Great Britain, as he donned the jersey on 25 occasions. The possibility of promotion and relegation returns to Rugby League's top tier, with the top two divisions splitting into three tiers of eight after 23 rounds; the Super League, the Qualifiers and the Championship Shield. England lifted the Wheelchair title with a dramatic victory over France at Manchester Central before Australia took home the Men's and Women's crowns with a double victory at Manchester United's Old Trafford against Samoa and New Zealand respectively. Perhaps the finest captain of all-time? We asked you over the last 48 hours for your suggestions on social media, and here are the six most popular choices! 3. Venue: Waikato Stadium, Hamilton Date: Saturday, 26 October Kick-off: 08:00 BST Coverage: Live on BBC Two (07:30-10:30 BST), highlights . Please note that the numbers below are based on data contained in the RLP database, and may not be accurate. He notched up over 500 appearances for Wakefield during their golden years and won the Challenge Cup on three occasions: 1960, 1961 and 1963. Sullivan played 47 times for Wales and Great Britain and made a total of 639 career appearances, including Challenge Cup final wins for Hull KR in 1980 and Hull FC in the 1982 replay at the age of 39. When director Lindsay Anderson demanded authenticity during the making of the legendaryThis Sporting Life, he turned to Derek Rocky Turner. Sale suspend Tom Arscott for allegedly leaking . He is also 14th on the Premier League's all-time scorers list, with only a handful of players scoring more in the competition for a single club, suggesting that 1m might have been value for money. Beginning his Lions spell on the wing, Hanley was the star of the 1984 tour to Australia, scoring a remarkable 12 tries. The centre won three RL Championships with Salford but it was his exploits on an international level that his career was most remembered. Playing out the 1958 Battle of Brisbane with a bruised back, two years later hard-man Karalius would go onto win the 1960 World Cup with Great Britain. The scrum-half is also one of only two players to have played in six Ashes series against Australia the other being fellow Hall of Fame inductee Garry Schofield. He started in rugby union, but joined Wigan in 1953 and spent the next fifteen seasons there plying his trade to memorable effect. He became interested in different sports as a child and won the England Schools 100 meters title in 1996. He was at his very best with Wigan as the team dominated the game in the early to mid-1990s and Offiah had a strike rate of more than a try per game, crossing 186 times in 159 appearances. He went onto make 36 appearances, in a variety of positions including Centre, Stand-Off and Loose Forward. Ticketing: ticketing@rfl.co.uk|0844 856 1113 (Calls will cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge) GameDay Support: gamedaysupport@rfl.co.uk, The Rugby Football League Ltd, Gate 13, Rowsley Street, Etihad Campus, Manchester, England, M11 3FF. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. An Origin and international captain, Fittlers captaincy of the outstanding Sydney Roosters side in the early 2000s was incredible leading them to World Club Challenge glory on foreign soil. The 1970 Harry Sunderland Award winner achieved plenty for St Helens but arguably did even more for his national team. QUIZ: Can you name these 10 former Castleford players? It would go on to pave the way for an under 20s Super League competition before the introduction of an under 19s elite league alongside a Reserves competition. Substitutes were now allowed at any time during game. An iconic figure in Barrow, the place of his birth, Horne was wiry half back who scored 112 tries and 741 goals for the club and captained them to their only Challenge Cup win in 1955. View history. Then, after the war, they won four Yorkshire Cup-ties in 1919 and their first League match of 1919-20. Find Great Britain Rugby League Captain stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. The now 50-year-old media pundit, a Golden Boot winner in 1990, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013 after a sparkling career which also saw him land the Man of Steel award in 1991. Rugby fans, listen up: We're now on sale for premium experiences for The Showdown 3, where Saracens will face Harlequins on Saturday 25 March at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium! Gavan Holohan made sure something fishy went down on the south coast as Grimsby made FA Cup history.. Born in Cardiff in 1934, Boston played as winger or centre. Also, clubs in the top division become professional with full time coaches and playing squads, while squad numbers were introduced for Super League players. Albert first decided to play in the English game whilst on tour in the country with Australia, falling in love with his future wife Ethel. The then 22-year-old also led the 1914/15 Huddersfield side to 'All Four Cups' - the Challenge Cup, Championship Trophy, Yorkshire Cup and Yorkshire League - something only achieved three times in the history of the sport. The first Rugby League tour of the UK by an overseas team took place in 1907 as converted New Zealand Union players, dubbed the 'All Golds,' travelled overseas. The 1992 World Cup Final captain was the subject of a record 155,000 transfer to Leeds in 1987 and poached 328 tries in a British career of almost 500 games, racking up 1,731 points in the process. The Welshman became the first black player to play for Great Britain on the . With 37 accolades to his name, Shaun Edwards is the most decorated player in Rugby League and performed sensationally not only in the domestic game with Wigan, but on the International stage with Great Britain too. In a playing career spanning four decades, Goldthorpe made his debut for Hunslet at the age of 16 in 1888 before retiring in 1910 having scored a then-record of over 1500 points in 659 games. The Hull FC great was part of the GB team that won the 1960 Rugby League World Cup. The right-hand centre formed a devastating partnership with fellow Hall of Famer Billy Boston and made his Great Britain debut in 1957. He was captain of Saints' Challenge Cup-winning side in 1961 and played in the first Saints team to win the Cup five years previously. Neil Fox enjoyed a career that spanned over 20 years during the 60s and 70s and is the all-time record point-scorer in the history of the game. The young wizard is a firm favourite in many households. Where not all appearances are available, figure is displayed in a light grey colour. During his career, he won four Yorkshire Cup titles during his spells with Huddersfield, Wakefield and Bradford Northern, scorning in each of these finals. A terrific winger and a history-making captain, legendary outside back Clive Sullivan made history in 1972 as he became the first black captain of any British national sporting side. 5.00. He became the sports most-capped British player with 30 appearances for Great Britain and 23 for England. 168 8110 49 Administered by the Rugby Football League (RFL), the team is nicknamed The Lions or Great Britain Lions. As skipper, he helped mastermind Great Britain's first victory over the Australians in 10 seasons. Alex Murphy is considered as one of the greatest half-backs to have ever played the English game, a reputation he built up during spells at St. Helens, Leigh and Warrington. He turned professional with Hull Kingston Rovers in 1950, but it was at Oldham from 1955-59 where he cemented his reputation. 'Rugby (league and union) is a big game down here, we know that, but rugby is played in England as well,' Yorke said. judy norton children; court ordered community service california . All three sides have remained competitive since with Hemel making the play offs again in 2014. *Due to the cancellation of the 2020 Betfred Women's Super League season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no Woman of Steel was awarded. Graham Williams, Peter Lush, David Farrar (November 2009). Fiji Airways Men's National 7s captain, Tevita Daugunu says leading the team this weekend at the HSBC Los Angeles 7s will be a big task for him. Whiteley then coached the Great Britain squad that toured Australia in 1970 the last to win the Ashes in Australia. After some time as player-coach, he retired having kicked 2,867 goals, which included over 100 goals in 18 successive seasons, more than anyone else in history, while scoring 83 tries, alongside 26 and 25 caps for Wales and Great Britain respectively. But a move to Hull KR in 1966 proved fruitful, where he became one of Rovers' all-time greats. In the 1907/08 season, he led Hunslet to all four domestic trophies - the Yorkshire Cup, the Yorkshire League Trophy, the Challenge Cup and the Championship Trophy. In 1958 Johnny was a member of the tour squad that retained the Ashes in Australia and four years later was part of the legendary Great Britain squad that beat the Aussies once again Down Under. Every year, the winner is selected by members of theRugby League Writers' Associationpresent at the game. Thanks to his courage and leadership as he held his side together as they claimed a 25-18 victory. May 23rd 2009 sees the first Super League match contested between two non-English sides as French side Catalans Dragons beat Celtic Crusaders of Wales 30-18 in front of 2,927 people at Bridgend's Brewery Field. Another modern-day nominee from our readers that got a lot of votes was Paul Sculthorpe. Buck made his debut for Leeds against Wigan at Headingley Stadium on Saturday November 5th, 1921. He earned his first piece of silverware, the RL Championship, in 1959. Even young rugby league fans have heard of Billy B. The 16-cap Great Britain man still holds the long-distance penalty goal record with a kick of 77.75 yards for Swinton against Rochdale Hornets at the Athletic Grounds, Rochdale in April 1940. Captaining your country is one the greatest honours a sportsperson can receive. Ultimate Rugby Players, News, Fixtures and Live Results Ultimate Rugby. She was named in the World 17 following her performances in the World Cup in New Zealand in 2003, having toured Australia twice in 1996 and 2002. York City Knights 144 West Wales Raiders 0 (League 1) - 29 April 2018, York City Knights 144 West Wales Raiders 0 (RFL League 1) - 29 April 2018, West Wales Raiders 0 York City Knights 130 (RFL League 1) - 11 August 2018, 1,735 by Wigan from 45 matches in 1994-95 as follows: 30 Division One - 1,148, 6 RL Challenge Cup - 230, 5 Regal Trophy - 170, 3 Premiership Trophy - 167, 1 Tour match (Australia) - 20, 1,156 by Leigh from 34 Division Two matches - 1985-86 Huddersfield Giants from 28 Northern Ford Premiership matches - 2001-02, 29 by Wigan from February to October 1987 as follows, including; 20 Division One, 3 Premiership Trophy, 4 Lancashire Cup, 1 Charity Shield, 1 World Club Challenge. The next fifteen seasons there plying his trade to memorable effect where he became one of the 1984 to... 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