Arthur Anlezark
Encyclopedia
Ernest Arthur "George" Anlezark (29 December 1882 - c. 1956), also went by 'Alec', was an Australian rugby league
and rugby union
player - a dual-code rugby international.
He was a pioneer Australian representative footballer selected in the first Australia national rugby union team
overseas touring side to New Zealand
in 1905 and representing the Kangaroos in the first Kangaroo tour
of Great Britain in 1908.
he played grade rugby for the district from age 14 in 1897. He was a regular in NSW Country and NSW representative teams before being selected as fly-half in Australia's first rugby union touring team which played a Test against New Zealand in Dunedin
in 2 September 1905.
Playing in the country, Anlezark found it difficult to re-gain selection to the Australian representative team in the following year, especially after moving to Lismore for his work with the NSW Railways. In 1908 he felt he was being unfairly overlooked.
against a touring New Zealand Maori team. He then played against New South Wales
in the first ever interstate fixture before being chosen for Australia in the inaugural international game against the New Zealand Māori
.
He was selected in the pioneer Kangaroo tour
ing side of 1908 and playing at half-back alongside Dally Messenger
was badly injured in the first tour match against the Welsh team Mid-Rhondda
.
Two months later in the 3rd Test against England which Australia lost 6-5, Anlezark made his debut Kangaroo Test appearance becoming at that point the 10th ever dual rugby-code Australian international. He captained Australia in the final four tour games of the trip.
Having been selected for Queensland on the strength of his rugby union credentials, Anlezark like made appearances for Queensland, an Australian touring side and an Australian Test side before he had ever played a club game. The Brisbane club competition did not begin until 1909.
Anlezark remained in England to play for the Oldham Roughyeds
and made 114 appearances in six seasons up till commencement of the Great War. He was part of Oldham's Club Championship, Lancashire League and Lancashire Cup wins from 1909 to 1912. He played in the 1912 Challenge Cup
final where Oldham were beaten 8-5 in a shock upset by Dewsbury
.
He returned to Australia at commencement of World War I
and became a cotton broker.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player - a dual-code rugby international.
He was a pioneer Australian representative footballer selected in the first Australia national rugby union team
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
overseas touring side to New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in 1905 and representing the Kangaroos in the first Kangaroo tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
of Great Britain in 1908.
Rugby union career
Born in Bathurst, New South WalesBathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
he played grade rugby for the district from age 14 in 1897. He was a regular in NSW Country and NSW representative teams before being selected as fly-half in Australia's first rugby union touring team which played a Test against New Zealand in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
in 2 September 1905.
Playing in the country, Anlezark found it difficult to re-gain selection to the Australian representative team in the following year, especially after moving to Lismore for his work with the NSW Railways. In 1908 he felt he was being unfairly overlooked.
Rugby league career
Anlezark arrived in Brisbane in 1908 and first played rugby league for Queensland MaroonsQueensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
against a touring New Zealand Maori team. He then played against New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
in the first ever interstate fixture before being chosen for Australia in the inaugural international game against the New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby league team
-See also:* New Zealand national rugby league team* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori cricket team-External links:* Google Books...
.
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
ing side of 1908 and playing at half-back alongside Dally Messenger
Dally Messenger
Herbert Henry "Dally" Messenger was an Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer, recognised as one of the greatest ever players in either code. Messenger, or 'The Master' as he was dubbed, represented his country in both rugby football codes, playing two rugby union tests and seven...
was badly injured in the first tour match against the Welsh team Mid-Rhondda
Mid-Rhondda RLFC
Mid-Rhondda Rugby League Football Club was a professional rugby league club based in Tonypandy, Wales playing in the Welsh League and Northern Union. Based at the Athletic Ground in Tonypandy, Mid-Rhondda were one of the first professional Welsh teams, formed in 1908 but folding after just a single...
.
Two months later in the 3rd Test against England which Australia lost 6-5, Anlezark made his debut Kangaroo Test appearance becoming at that point the 10th ever dual rugby-code Australian international. He captained Australia in the final four tour games of the trip.
Having been selected for Queensland on the strength of his rugby union credentials, Anlezark like made appearances for Queensland, an Australian touring side and an Australian Test side before he had ever played a club game. The Brisbane club competition did not begin until 1909.
Anlezark remained in England to play for the Oldham Roughyeds
Oldham Roughyeds
Oldham Roughyeds is an English professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Championship One. Oldham is one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895....
and made 114 appearances in six seasons up till commencement of the Great War. He was part of Oldham's Club Championship, Lancashire League and Lancashire Cup wins from 1909 to 1912. He played in the 1912 Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
final where Oldham were beaten 8-5 in a shock upset by Dewsbury
Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...
.
He returned to Australia at commencement of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and became a cotton broker.
External links
- http://www.RL1908.com
- http://www.RugbyRebellion.com