Brian Briggs

For other uses, see Brian Briggs (disambiguation).

Brian Briggs (29 March 1932 – 2 August 1996) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for York, Huddersfield, St. Helens and Wakefield Trinity, as a second-row.^[1]

Brian Briggs

Personal information
Full name	Brian Briggs
Born	29 March 1932 Wakefield, England
Died	2 August 1996(1996-08-02) (aged 64) Canberra, Australia
Playing information
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	13 st 5 lb (85 kg)
Position	Second-row
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P ≤1952–52 York 1952–58 Huddersfield 1958–60 St. Helens 83 4 11 0 34 1960–62 Wakefield Trinity Total 83 4 11 0 34 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1954?–62? Yorkshire ≥2 1956 England 1 0 0 0 0 1954 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1][2][3]

Background

Brian Briggs was born in Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Playing career

Career at St Helens

Brian Briggs was a stalwart for St. Helens playing over 80 matches mostly in the second-row position. He was signed by St. Helens from Huddersfield on Friday 14 February 1958, and made his St. Helens début against Oldham on Saturday 15 February 1958. He was a hard running and tough tackling second-row who added great steel to the St. Helens pack at the time. In 83 matches for the club Briggs scored 4 tries, kicked 11 goals for a total points aggregate of 34 points. Brigg's first try for St. Helens came at Hunslet as St. Helens cruised to a 33 points to two victory. On Tuesday 14 April 1959 Brian Briggs scored a try and kicked two goals as St. Helens defeated Hull F.C. at Knowsley Road in front of 18,500 spectators. Brian Briggs managed to earn two caps for Yorkshire whilst at St. Helens. He partnered Dick Huddart in the second-row in the resounding 1959 Championship Final 44 points to 22 victory over Hunslet, and he played his last match for St. Helens against Wigan in the Championship semi-final defeat on Saturday 7 May 1960. He transferred to the emerging great Wakefield Trinity side of the early 1960s for £5,000^[4] (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £226,900 in 2013).^[5]

International honours

Brian Briggs, won a cap for England while at Huddersfield in 1956 against France,^[2] and won a cap for Great Britain while at Huddersfield in 1954 against New Zealand.^[3]

County honours

Brian Briggs won cap(s) for Yorkshire while at Wakefield Trinity.

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Brian Briggs played left-second-row in Wakefield Trinity's 12–6 victory over Huddersfield in the 1962 Challenge Cup Final during the 1961–62 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 12 May 1962.^[6]

County Cup Final appearances

Brian Briggs played left-second-row in Huddersfield's 15–8 victory over York in the 1957 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1957–58 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 19 October 1957,^[7] played left-second-row in St. Helens 2–12 defeat by Oldham in the 1958 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1958–59 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 25 October 1958, played left-second-row in the 4–5 defeat by Warrington in the 1959 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1959–60 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 31 October 1959, left-second-row in Wakefield Trinity's 16–10 victory over Huddersfield in the 1960 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1960,^[6] and played left-second-row in the 19–9 victory over Leeds in the 1961 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1961–62 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 11 November 1961.

References

1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
3. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
4. Briggs, Cyril & Edwards, Barry (12 May 1962). The Rugby League Challenge Cup Competition - Final Tie - Huddersfield v Wakefield Trinity - Match Programme. Wembley Stadium Ltd. ISBN n/a
5. "Measuring Worth - Relative Value of UK Pounds". Measuring Worth. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
6. Hoole, Les (2004). Wakefield Trinity RLFC – FIFTY GREAT GAMES. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-429-9
7. "Programme 'Yorkshire County Rugby League - Challenge Cup Final - 1957 - Huddersfield v. York'" (PDF). huddersfieldrlheritage.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.

External links

• Profile at saints.org.uk
• Wakefield Win Cup 1962
• Fender gets the plaudits