Brian Briggs
Encyclopedia
Brian Briggs is an English
former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1950s and '60s who at representative level has played for Great Britain
, England
, and Yorkshire, and at club level for York
, Huddersfield
, St. Helens, and Wakefield Trinity
, playing at , i.e. number 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums.
on 14 February 1958, and made his St. Helens début against Oldham
on 15 February 1958. He was a hard running and tough tackling who added great steel to the St. Helens pack at the time. In 83 matches for St. Helens Brian Briggs scored 4 tries, kicked 11 goals for a total points aggregate of 34 points. Brian Brigg's first try for St. Helens came at Hunslet
as St. Helens cruised to a 33 points to two victory. Brian Briggs also had the pleasure of watching Tom van Vollenhoven
notch four tries that particular day. On 14 April 1959 Brian Briggs scored a try and kicked two goals as St. Helens thumped Hull 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 in the resounding 1959 Championship Final 44 points to 22 thrashing of Hunslet
. His final match for St. Helens was against Wigan
in the Championship semi-final defeat on 7 May 1960. He transferred to the emerging great Wakefield Trinity
side of the early 1960s.
while at Huddersfield in 1956 against France, and won a cap for Great Britain
while at Huddersfield in 1954 against New Zealand.
’s 12–6 victory over Huddersfield
in the 1961–62 Challenge Cup
final at Wembley Stadium on 12 May 1962.
’s 16–10 victory over Huddersfield
in the 1959–60 Yorkshire Cup
final at Headingley Stadium, Leeds
on 29 October 1960.
, Circa-1980s, He was the landlord of The Sun Inn, 719 Leeds Road, Lofthouse Gate, Wakefield
. He was also the landlord of the British Oak Public House at the top of Stanley Hill Wakefield.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former professional rugby league
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...
footballer of the 1950s and '60s who at representative level has played for Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
, England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
, and Yorkshire, and at club level for York
York City Knights
York City Knights Rugby League Club is a British professional rugby league club hailing from York. They play at the Huntington Stadium, situated to the north of York city centre...
, Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
, St. Helens, and Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
, playing at , i.e. number 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums.
Career at St Helens
Brian Briggs was a stalwart for St. Helens playing over 80 matches mostly in the position. He was signed by St. Helens from HuddersfieldHuddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
on 14 February 1958, and made his St. Helens début against Oldham
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....
on 15 February 1958. He was a hard running and tough tackling who added great steel to the St. Helens pack at the time. In 83 matches for St. Helens Brian Briggs scored 4 tries, kicked 11 goals for a total points aggregate of 34 points. Brian Brigg's first try for St. Helens came at Hunslet
Hunslet Hawks
Hunslet Hawks is a professional rugby league club based in Hunslet, West Yorkshire, England. The club, sometimes known as 'the Parksiders' after their former stadium, are currently champions of Championship One.-History:-Early years:...
as St. Helens cruised to a 33 points to two victory. Brian Briggs also had the pleasure of watching Tom van Vollenhoven
Tom van Vollenhoven
Tom van Vollenhoven is a South African former rugby union and rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 60s....
notch four tries that particular day. On 14 April 1959 Brian Briggs scored a try and kicked two goals as St. Helens thumped Hull at Knowsley Road
Knowsley Road
Knowsley Road was a stadium located in Eccleston, St Helens, Merseyside. It was the home of St Helens RLFC from 1890 until its closure in 2010. St Helens Town FC played their home fixtures at Knowsley Road from 2002 until 2010. For a period, the venue also hosted Liverpool FC Reserves...
in front of 18,500 spectators. Brian Briggs managed to earn two caps for Yorkshire whilst at St. Helens. He partnered Dick Huddart
Dick Huddart
Dick Huddart is an English-Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1950s, '60s and '70s. He played in the for Whitehaven and St. Helens in England, and for the St. George Dragons in Australia...
in the in the resounding 1959 Championship Final 44 points to 22 thrashing of Hunslet
Hunslet Hawks
Hunslet Hawks is a professional rugby league club based in Hunslet, West Yorkshire, England. The club, sometimes known as 'the Parksiders' after their former stadium, are currently champions of Championship One.-History:-Early years:...
. His final match for St. Helens was against Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
in the Championship semi-final defeat on 7 May 1960. He transferred to the emerging great Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
side of the early 1960s.
International honours
Brian Briggs, won a cap for EnglandEngland national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
while at Huddersfield in 1956 against France, and won a cap for Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
while at Huddersfield in 1954 against New Zealand.
Challenge Cup final appearances
Brian Briggs played Left-, i.e. number 11, in Wakefield TrinityWakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
’s 12–6 victory over Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
in the 1961–62 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 at Wembley Stadium on 12 May 1962.
County Cup final appearances
Brian Briggs played Left-, i.e. number 11, in Wakefield TrinityWakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
’s 16–10 victory over Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
in the 1959–60 Yorkshire Cup
Rugby league county cups
Historically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
final at Headingley Stadium, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
on 29 October 1960.
Outside of Rugby League
Circa-1960s, Brian Briggs was the landlord of the Fox And Grapes Inn, 107 Stanley Road, WakefieldWakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
, Circa-1980s, He was the landlord of The Sun Inn, 719 Leeds Road, Lofthouse Gate, Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
. He was also the landlord of the British Oak Public House at the top of Stanley Hill Wakefield.