Harry Bradshaw (rugby)

Harry Bradshaw (17 April 1868 – 31 December 1910) was an English rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1890s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for England and Yorkshire,[2] and at club level for Bramley,[3] as a forward, e.g. front row, lock, or back row, and club level rugby league (RL) for Leeds, as a forward. Prior to Tuesday 2 June 1896, Bramley was a rugby union club.

Harry Bradshaw
Personal information
Full nameHarold Bradshaw
Born(1868-04-17)17 April 1868
Bramley, England
Died31 December 1910(1910-12-31) (aged 42)
Halifax, England
Playing information
Rugby union
PositionForward
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≤1892–≥94 Bramley
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Yorkshire 28
1892–94 England 7 2 0 0 5
Rugby league
PositionForward
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≥1895–≥95 Leeds
Source: [1]

Background

edit

Harry Bradshaw was born in Bramley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, he died aged 42 in Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.[1]

Playing career

edit

International honours

edit

Harry Bradshaw won caps for England (RU) while at Bramley in 1892 against Scotland, in 1893 against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, and in 1894 against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland.[1]

In the early years of rugby football the goal was to score goals, and a try had zero value, but it provided the opportunity to try at goal, and convert the try to a goal with an unopposed kick at the goal posts. The point values of both the try and goal have varied over time, and in the early years footballers could "score" a try, without scoring any points.

Change of Code

edit

When Bramley converted from the rugby union code to the rugby league code on Tuesday 2 June 1896, Harry Bradshaw would have been 28 years of age. Consequently, he was both a rugby union and rugby league footballer.

Contemporaneous Quote

edit

The first game of the 1894 Home Nations Championship for Wales was against England, and they suffered a heavy defeat, losing 24-3. In an after match interview Wales' winger Norman Biggs was asked why he had failed to tackle England's forward Harry Bradshaw, who scored the first try; Biggs responded "Tackle him? It was as much as I could do to get out of his way!".[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". en.espn.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. ^ Philip Gaunt (1969). "Yorkshire Rugby Union - Centenary 1869-1969 (Page-28)". Chadwick Studios/Frederick Duffield & Sons Ltd. ISBN n/a
  3. ^ Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  4. ^ Richards, Huw (2009). The Red And The White. Aurum Press Ltd. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-84513-405-1.
edit