Leslie White (rugby league, born c. 1910)

Leslie Llewellyn White (c. 1906 – December 1973) was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, Wales, England, and at club level for Pontypridd and Hunslet, as a hooker.[2][5] Les White was also a lance corporal in the British Army during World War II.[6][7]

Les White
Personal information
Full nameLeslie Llewellyn White
Bornc. 1906
Wales
DiedDecember 1973[1]
Playing information
PositionHooker
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1926–2? Pontypridd
Hunslet
Total 0 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1928–33 Wales 7 0 0 0 0
1932–33 Great Britain 8 0 0 0 0
1942 Northern Command XIII 0 0 0 0 0
Source: [2][3][4]

Playing career

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Club career

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White joined Hunslet from Pontypridd in January 1928.[8]

White played hooker in Hunslet's 8–2 victory over Leeds in the Championship Final during the 1937–38 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Saturday 30 April 1938.[9]

International honours

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White won seven caps for Wales from 1928 to 1933 while at Pontypridd and Hunslet, won a cap for England while at Hunslet in 1933 against Australia,[3] and won caps for Great Britain while at Hunslet in 1932 Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (2 matches), and in 1933 Australia (2 matches).[4]

Wales and England

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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. However the England matches that these four played in have now been reclassified as Great Britain by the Rugby League Record Keepers Club so these England caps have now been struck from the record.

Other notable matches

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White played hooker for Northern Command XIII against a Rugby League XIII at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 21 March 1942.[6] Coincidentally, he played alongside another Les White.

Outside of rugby league

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White was the landlord of the St. Helens Inn public house, Whitehouse Street, Hunslet, Leeds during the 1930s,[10] and the Moorhouse Inn public house, Moor Crescent, Hunslet, Leeds during the 1940s.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Death of one-time star R.L. hooker". Sports Mail. Hull Daily Mail. 29 December 1973. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  6. ^ a b "inside programme, Northern Command v. A Rugby League XIII, 1942". rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  7. ^ "Statistics at rugbyleague.wales". rugbyleague.wales. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Sporting Items". Hull Daily Mail. 12 January 1928. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Club History, Facts and Figures". Yorkshire Evening Post. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  10. ^ Hunslet Committee, Parkside, Hunslet (Saturday 20 March 1937). Programme - Hunstet vs Bradford Northern. ISBN n/a
  11. ^ "Removal to Cross Gates Refused". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury. 9 February 1940. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.