Herb Gilbert
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Herb Gilbert 1888 - 1972 was an Australian rugby league and rugby union player - a dual code rugby international. He represented the Wallabies in 3 Tests in 1910 and the Kangaroos in 7 Tests from 1911 to 1920, his last two as Captain.
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[edit] Rugby union career
He was born in Gulgong, New South Wales and moved to Sydney playing rugby union in the South Sydney district.
Gilbert was selected for New South Wales in 1910 against Queensland then the New Zealand Maoris. That same year he made his Wallaby Test debut playing in all three Tests against the All Blacks in 1910 in which the Wallabies were undefeated.
[edit] Rugby league career
He crossed over to the professional code joining the South Sydney Club in 1910. He represented New South Wales in 1911 and was chosen for the 1911-1912 Kangaroos tour of England.
Gilbert made his International league debut in the First Test at Newcastle in Novemebr 1911 becoming at that point the 16th ever Australian dual code international. He played in all three Tests on tour heading the tour try scoring list with 20 tries.
From 1912 to 1915 he played in England for the Hull Club captaining the Humbersiders to Challenge Cup victory in 1914.
He returned to Australia after the outbreak of the Great War. He played for Easts in 1916 then Wests from 1917 to 1920 taking them from a struggling side to a competitive outfit.
Gilbert returned to the Australian test team as Captain in the 2nd test of the Lions 1920 tour of Australia. All four of Australia's illustrious three-quarter line of Dick Vest, Harold Horder, Vic Farnsworth and Gilbert scored tries in Australia's 21-8 victory.
With the Ashes already won Australia lost to Great Britain in the 3rd Test of the series with Gilbert captaining his country for his 2nd and final occasion.
In 1921 at age 33 Gilbert signed on as foundation captain-coach of the newly formed St George Dragons club. He retired as player at the end of that season but coached the club till 1924. Three of Gilbert's sons all played for St George with Herb Junior and Jack playing in the Dragons' maiden Grand Final victory in 1941.
[edit] Post playing
Herb Gilbert was a state and national selector from 1925 to 1937; his working career was with the New South Wales Railways; in his later years he was doorman at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
In 2004 he was named by the Souths in their South Sydney Dream Team,[1], consisting of 17 players and a coach representing the club from 1908 through to 2004.
[edit] Playing record
- Club: Souths(1911-12 & 1915) 23 games, 6 tries, 3 goals; Hull, England 1912-1915; Easts (1916) 14 games, 6 tries; Wests (1917-1920) 50 games, 23 tries; St George (1921) 8 games, 1 try.
- Representative: Australia (1911-12 & 1919-1920) 7 Tests, and New South Wales (1911-20) 8 appearances.
[edit] Sources
Whiticker, Alan (2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ South Sydney Dream Team from the official South Sydney website.
