Harry Sunderland
Encyclopedia
Harry Sunderland was an Australia
n rugby league football administrator and journalist.
Sunderland was born in Gympie
, Queensland
in 1889. From 1913 to 1922, Sunderland was the Queensland Rugby League
's secretary. His administration is credited with the growth of the League in Queensland despite the First World War. However towards the end of his tenure with the QRL, player discontent with his administration led to the breakway formation of the Brisbane Rugby League.
Following development work by both Sunderland (on behalf of the Australian Rugby League
) and the Rugby Football League
based in England, an exhibition match between Great Britain and Australia at Paris
' Stade Pershing
in December 1933 inspired the beginnings of rugby league in France
.
On 25 October 1938 Sunderland arrived in Wigan to take up the duties of Secretary-Manager at Central Park
. On 28 September the following year, his contract was terminated and he and the club parted company.
At the start of the 1950s he submitted a plan to the Australian Rugby League Board of Control for promoting rugby league in the United states.
After moving to Melbourne, Victoria where he unsuccessfully attempted to promote rugby league, Sunderland returned north and became an administrator of the Australian national team. He later moved to England
where he became manager of the Wigan Rugby League Football Club
.
Since his death in Chorlton upon Medlock, Manchester
in 1964, the Harry Sunderland Trophy
has been awarded to the man-of-the-match in the European Super League Grand Final
. In addition, the Harry Sunderland Medal is the award given to the best Australian player in each home Ashes series
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby league football administrator and journalist.
Sunderland was born in Gympie
Gympie
Gympie may refer to:* Gympie, a city in Queensland, Australia** Gympie Airport** Electoral district of Gympie** Gympie Region, its local government authority* Gympie Gympie , a stinging plant...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
in 1889. From 1913 to 1922, Sunderland was the Queensland Rugby League
Queensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League and selects the members of Queensland State of Origin teams....
's secretary. His administration is credited with the growth of the League in Queensland despite the First World War. However towards the end of his tenure with the QRL, player discontent with his administration led to the breakway formation of the Brisbane Rugby League.
Following development work by both Sunderland (on behalf of the Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
) and the Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
based in England, an exhibition match between Great Britain and Australia at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
' Stade Pershing
Stade Pershing
Stade Pershing was a multi-purpose stadium in Vincennes, France. It was used mostly for football matches and hosted the final of the Coupe de France on four occasions. It also hosted some of the football and rugby matches during the 1924 Summer Olympics. The stadium was able to hold 29,000...
in December 1933 inspired the beginnings of rugby league in France
Rugby league in France
Rugby league has been played in France since 1934. As with rugby union, the heartland of the game is the south of the country.During the Second World War, in association with the French rugby union, the sport was banned by the Vichy government, an act which the sport has struggled to recover from...
.
On 25 October 1938 Sunderland arrived in Wigan to take up the duties of Secretary-Manager at Central Park
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
. On 28 September the following year, his contract was terminated and he and the club parted company.
At the start of the 1950s he submitted a plan to the Australian Rugby League Board of Control for promoting rugby league in the United states.
After moving to Melbourne, Victoria where he unsuccessfully attempted to promote rugby league, Sunderland returned north and became an administrator of the Australian national team. He later moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he became manager of the Wigan Rugby League Football Club
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....
.
Since his death in Chorlton upon Medlock, Manchester
Chorlton-on-Medlock
Chorlton-on-Medlock is an inner city area of Manchester, England.Historically a part of Lancashire, the northern border of Chorlton-on-Medlock is the River Medlock which runs immediately south of Manchester city centre. Its other borders roughly correspond to Stockport Road, Hathersage Road, Moss...
in 1964, the Harry Sunderland Trophy
Harry Sunderland Trophy
The Harry Sunderland Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in the Super League Grand Final by the Rugby League Writers' Association. It is named after Harry Sunderland, who was an Australian rugby league football administrator in both Australia and the United Kingdom...
has been awarded to the man-of-the-match in the European Super League Grand Final
Super League Grand Final
The Super League Grand Final is the championship-deciding game of the Super League rugby league football competition...
. In addition, the Harry Sunderland Medal is the award given to the best Australian player in each home Ashes series
Rugby League Ashes
The Ashes is the name given to the trophy awarded to the winner of a best-of-three series of rugby league football test series between Great Britain and Australia...
.