Don Fox

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Don Fox was an English rugby league player in the 1950s and 60s for Featherstone Rovers and Wakefield Trinity. He is the brother of Peter and Neil Fox, and together they form one of the legendary rugby league families. Don holds the Featherstone Rovers record for tries scored (162) and is third on their all-time goal-kicking charts with 503 in 369 appearances, itself the 7th most in Featherstone history, having enjoyed 13 years at the club before joining Wakefield. [1]

[edit] 1968 Challenge Cup Final

Fox enjoyed a glittering career but is probably best remembered for his escapades during the famous 1968 'watersplash' Challenge Cup final between Wakefield and Leeds. In atrocious conditions at Wembley, the score was 11-7 to Leeds when Ken Hirst scored under the posts for Wakefield with the final play of the game. As tries were only worth three points at that time, the simple conversion was needed to give Wakefield a one-point lead and win the game. However, Wakefield fans were jubilant as the conversion from in front of the posts is by far the easiest kick in rugby league and Fox was such a prolific kicker that it realistically should have presented no problem. However, famously, Fox sliced the ball wide of the posts and the final whistle was blown immediately afterwards, giving Leeds a dramatic one-point victory. This incident was immortalised for the millions watching on television by legendary commentator Eddie Waring's reaction at the time: 'He's a poor lad'. Fox had already been chosen to win the Lance Todd Trophy for his performance in the match, but he was disconsolate and trudged off the pitch (interviewed on television later, he was asked if it was any consolation and famously replied "not really, no"). [2] Folklore states that Waring took Fox to Featherstones Post Office Road the day after and he kicked several conversions in his carpet slippers.

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