Gus Risman

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Gus Risman
Ogden's Cigarette card featuring Gus Risman
Personal information
Full name Augustus John Ferdinand Risman
Nickname Gus
Born (1911-03-21)21 March 1911
Cardiff, Wales
Died 17 October 1994(1994-10-17) (aged 83)
Whitehaven, England
Playing information
Position Fullback, Centre, Stand-off
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1929–46 Salford 427 143 789 2007
→ Leeds (guest) 12 6 27 0 72
→ Bradford Northern (guest) 9 4 3 0 18
→ Hunslet (guest) 2 0 1 0 2
→ Dewsbury (guest) 31 15 55 0 155
1946–54 Workington Town 301 33 716 0 1531
1954 Batley 9 0 20 0 40
Total 791 201 1611 0 3825
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1934 British Empire 1
1934 England 1 2 0 0 6
1931–45 Wales 18 0 0 0 0
1932–46 Great Britain 17 0 12 0 24
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1946 Workington Town
Whitehaven
Oldham
1964–71 Bradford Northern
Total 0 0 0 0
Source: [1]

Augustus "Gus" John F. Risman (21 March 1911 – 17 October 1994) was a Welsh rugby league footballer of the 1920s through to the 1950s.

A devastating three-quarter who also played at Fullback, and Stand-off, Risman was born in Cardiff, brought up in Barry where he went to Barry County School, and played rugby union in South Wales as a schoolboy before being offered a trial by Salford.

He made his début for Salford on 31 August 1929 and went on to enjoy great success with the club. He won 17 caps for Great Britain and finished his career at Workington Town, remarkably leading them to Rugby League Challenge Cup glory as player-coach at the age of 41 in 1952.[2] He retired as a player in 1954 after a career spanning 25 years. Risman captained the 1946 "Indomitable" tourists of Australia.[3]

Risman later coached Whitehaven, Oldham and Bradford Northern and was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame in 1988. Gus Risman's son, Bev Risman also became an accomplished rugby league footballer. As a tribute, one of the newly created streets in Workington's regenerated town centre is named Risman Place.

Playing career

Les Diables Rouges

Gus Risman was one of the players who successfully toured in France with Salford in 1934, during which the Salford team earned the name "Les Diables Rouges", the seventeen players were; Joe Bradbury, Bob Brown, Aubrey Casewell, Paddy Dalton, Bert Day, Cliff Evans, Jack Feetham, George Harris, Barney Hudson, Emlyn Jenkins, Alf Middleton, Sammy Miller, Harold Osbaldestin, Les Pearson, Gus Risman, Billy Watkins, and Billy Williams.[4]

International honours

Gus Risman won caps for Wales while at Salford 1931…1945 18-caps, won a cap for England while at Salford in 1934 against France,[5] and won caps for Great Britain while at Salford in 1932 against Australia, New Zealand (3 matches), in 1933 against Australia (3 matches), in 1936 against Australia (2 matches), New Zealand (2 matches), in 1937 against Australia (3 matches), and in 1946 against Australia (3 matches).[6]

Wales and England

Only four rugby league footballers have played initially for Wales, and then subsequently for England, they are; Emlyn Jenkins, Gus Risman, Jim Sullivan, and Les White.

Rugby Football League Championship final appearances

Gus Risman played Centre, i.e. number 4 in Salford's 3–15 defeat to Wigan in the 1933–34 Rugby Football League Championship final at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 28 April 1934.[7]

Other notable games

Gus Risman played Centre for a Rugby League XIII against Northern Command XIII at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 21 March 1942.[8] Despite turning professional, Risman was part of the 1945 British Empire Forces rugby union team that played France, during a period when the strict guideline between amateur and professional were relaxed. Risman, playing at centre, scored two tries and three conversions in that game helping the British to a 27-6 victory.[9]

Career Records

Gus Risman holds Workington Town's "Appearances in a Season" record (with 45-appearances in the 1953–54 season),[10] and with 4050-points is third on British rugby league's "most points in a career" record list behind Neil Fox, and Jim Sullivan.[11]

Gus Risman is one of less than ten Welshmen to have scored more than 2000-points in their rugby league career, and is one of less than twenty Welshmen to have scored more than 200-tries in their rugby league career.[12]

Genealogical Information

Gus Risman was the father of British Lions, and England rugby union, and Great Britain, England, Lancashire, Leigh, and Leeds rugby league footballer of the 1950s, '60s and '70s, Bev Risman; and Workington Town, Fulham RLFC, Blackpool Borough and Carlisle rugby league footballer of the 1960s and '70s, John Risman.

Honoured in Workington

Risman Place in Workington is named after Gus Risman.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Gate, Robert (2003). Rugby League Hall of Fame. Stroud: Tempus. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-7524-2693-8. 
  2. ↑ news.bbc.co.uk (11 May 2004). "Cup final facts". BBC Sport (UK: BBC). Retrieved 6 March 2011. 
  3. ↑ Baker, Andrew (1995-08-20). "100 years of rugby league: From the great divide to the Super era". Independent, The (independent.co.uk). Retrieved 2009-09-25. 
  4. ↑ "The story of The Original Red Devils". reds.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012. 
  5. ↑ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012. 
  6. ↑ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012. 
  7. ↑ "1933-1934 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012. 
  8. ↑ "inside programme, Northern Command v. A Rugby League XIII, 1942". rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk. 2010-12-31. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
  9. ↑ "France tour - Richmond, 28 April 1945: British Empire Forces 27 - 6 France". espnscrum.com. Retrieved 1 October 2012. 
  10. ↑ "Workington Town → Player records". sandylonning.u-net.com. 2011-12-31. Retrieved 2012-01-01. 
  11. ↑ "Sinfield close to moving up all-time points list". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013. 
  12. ↑ Robert Gate (1988). "Gone North – Volume 2". R. E. Gate. ISBN 0-9511190-3-6
  13. ↑ "New town centre places with some famous old West Cumbrian names". timesandstar.co.uk. 2006-02-24. Retrieved 2009-01-01. 

External links

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