Alf Wood (rugby)

Alf Wood
Personal information
Full name Alfred Ernest Wood
Born 27 November 1883
Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England
Died 15 February 1963 (aged 79)
Oldham, Lancashire, England
Playing information
Height 5 ft 6 1⁄2 in (168.9 cm)
Weight 12 st 3 lb (78 kg)
Rugby union
Position Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
190?–08 Gloucester
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1908 England 3 4 8
Rugby league
Position Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1908–21 Oldham 244 342 684
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1911–14 England 2 0 2 0 4
1911–14 Great Britain 4 0 8 0 16
Source: rugbyleagueproject.org englandrl.co.uk

Alfred "Alf" Ernest Wood (27 November 1883[1] – 15 February 1963[2]) born in Wolverhampton, was an English dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s, '10s and '20s, playing representative level rugby union (RU) for England, and at club level for Gloucester RFC, as a Fullback, i.e. number 15, and playing representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, and at club level for Oldham, as a Fullback, i.e. number 1,[3][4] he died in Oldham.

Wood won caps for England while at Gloucester RFC in 1908 against France, Wales, and Ireland.[5] In 1908, Wood left Gloucester RFC to play rugby league for Oldham. Alf Wood played Fullback, and scored 3-conversions, in Oldham's 9-10 defeat by Wigan in the 1908 Lancashire Cup final during the 1908–09 season at Wheater's Field, Broughton, Salford on Saturday 19 December 1908. At the end of the 1908–09 Northern Rugby Football Union season Wood played at fullback in Oldham's loss to Wigan in the Championship Final.[6] Wood played Fullback in Oldham's 3–7 defeat by Wigan in the 1908–09 Championship Final at The Willows, Salford on Saturday 1 May 1909,[6] the 13–7 victory over Wigan in the 1909–10 Championship Final, and the 20–7 victory over Wigan in the 1910–11 Championship Final.

Wood won caps for England while at Oldham in 1911 against Australia, and in 1914 against Wales,[7] and won caps for Great Britain (RL) while at Oldham in 1911–12 against Australia (2 matches), and in 1914 against Australia, and New Zealand.[8] In 1913, both Billy Hall, and Dave Holland left Gloucester RFC to join Oldham, following Alf Wood who had made the same journey in 1908. Alf Wood and Dave Holland both played at Oldham until 1921, and Billy Hall played there until 1925. All three men played in Great Britain's "Rorke's Drift" Test match against Australia in 1914, with Alf Wood kicking the four goals that would be the difference in the end. He was also selected to go on the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia.

References

  1. ↑ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Death details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "The English Team". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Statistics at scrum.com". scrum.com. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "1908–1909 Championship Final". cherryandwhite.co.uk. wigan.rlfans.com. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.

External links