Steve Nash (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Steve Nash is an English
former Rugby League World Cup
winning footballer of the 1970s and '80s. A /, he played for the Featherstone Rovers
and Salford
clubs and also represented England and Great Britain.
In 1971, while playing for Featherstone, Nash played his first match for the Great Britain Lions
. The following year he played in the 1972 World Cup final against Australia which was drawn 10-all, enabling Great Britain to claim the Cup. Nash then helped Featherstone to victory in the 1972–73 Challenge Cup
final, winning the Lance Todd Trophy
for his man-of-the-match performance. He later moved to Salford, for a cash world-record £15,000 in 1975 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £147,000 in 2009). He continued to represent Great Britain and narrowly missing out on a second World Cup
victory in the 1977 Final which was lost to Australia 12-13. Nash won 24 Great Britain caps altogether and also played 7 games for the England team
. In the first Test against Bob Fulton
's Australia at Central Park, Wigan, in October, 1978 Britain lost 15-9 and Nash and his opposite number, Tommy Raudonikis
, were sent off for fighting early in the second half. Nash was recalled to the Great Britain team as captain for the first Test against Australia at Hull in 1982. Australia won 40-4. He finished his career with Rochdale
.
against Wales, New Zealand, and Australia, and in 1975 against Papua New Guinea, and while at Salford in 1978 against France, and Wales, and in 1981 against Wales (2 matches), and won caps for Great Britain while at Featherstone Rovers in 1971 against France, and New Zealand, in 1972 against France (2 matches), and in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup
against Australia, France, New Zealand, and Australia, in 1973 against Australia (2 matches), in 1974 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (3 matches), and while at Salford in the 1977 Rugby League World Cup
against France, New Zealand, Australia (2 matches), in 1978 against Australia (3 matches), and in 1982 against Australia.
Steve Nash also played /, i.e. number 7 in Great Britain
's 7-8 defeat to France
in the friendly
at Stadio Pierluigi Penzo
, Venice
on 31st July 1982.
at Salford
took place in 1984.
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...
former Rugby League World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
winning footballer of the 1970s and '80s. A /, he played for the Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
and Salford
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
clubs and also represented England and Great Britain.
In 1971, while playing for Featherstone, Nash played his first match for the Great Britain Lions
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"....
. The following year he played in the 1972 World Cup final against Australia which was drawn 10-all, enabling Great Britain to claim the Cup. Nash then helped Featherstone to victory in the 1972–73 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, winning the Lance Todd Trophy
Lance Todd Trophy
The Lance Todd Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in rugby league football's Challenge Cup Final.The trophy was introduced in 1946, in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War...
for his man-of-the-match performance. He later moved to Salford, for a cash world-record £15,000 in 1975 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £147,000 in 2009). He continued to represent Great Britain and narrowly missing out on a second World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
victory in the 1977 Final which was lost to Australia 12-13. Nash won 24 Great Britain caps altogether and also played 7 games for the England team
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...
. In the first Test against Bob Fulton
Bob Fulton
Robert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won...
's Australia at Central Park, Wigan, in October, 1978 Britain lost 15-9 and Nash and his opposite number, Tommy Raudonikis
Tommy Raudonikis
Tommy Raudonikis OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played over twenty-nine Tests and World Cup games as Australia representative halfback and captained his country in two Tests of the 1973 Kangarooo tour.-Early life and club playing career:Raudonikis is the son of a...
, were sent off for fighting early in the second half. Nash was recalled to the Great Britain team as captain for the first Test against Australia at Hull in 1982. Australia won 40-4. He finished his career with Rochdale
Rochdale Hornets
Rochdale Hornets RLFC is an English professional rugby league club from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. They currently play in Championship One...
.
International honours
Steve Nash won caps for England while at Featherstone Rovers in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup1975 Rugby League World Cup
The 1975 Rugby League World Cup was the seventh staging of rugby league football's World Cup tournament...
against Wales, New Zealand, and Australia, and in 1975 against Papua New Guinea, and while at Salford in 1978 against France, and Wales, and in 1981 against Wales (2 matches), and won caps for Great Britain while at Featherstone Rovers in 1971 against France, and New Zealand, in 1972 against France (2 matches), and in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup
1972 Rugby League World Cup
The sixth Rugby League World Cup was held in France in October and November of 1972. Australia started as the favourites to retain the trophy they had won just two years previously. New Zealand had beaten all three of the other nations in 1971 and France were expected to be tough opponents on their...
against Australia, France, New Zealand, and Australia, in 1973 against Australia (2 matches), in 1974 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (3 matches), and while at Salford in the 1977 Rugby League World Cup
1977 Rugby League World Cup
- Final standings :-Final:Great Britain were the underdogs going to the final, which was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground. They managed to dominate the possession, and it took a last minute try from Australia’s John Kolc to secure the Cup in front of 24,457 spectators.Australia: Graham Eadie;...
against France, New Zealand, Australia (2 matches), in 1978 against Australia (3 matches), and in 1982 against Australia.
Steve Nash also played /, i.e. number 7 in 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"....
's 7-8 defeat to France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
in the friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
at Stadio Pierluigi Penzo
Stadio Pierluigi Penzo
Stadio Pierluigi Penzo is a multi-use stadium in Venice, Italy. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of F.B.C. Unione Venezia. The stadium holds 10,500 people and is located on the island Sant'Elena. It is the only ground in Italy's top flights to which...
, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
on 31st July 1982.
Testimonial match
Steve Nash's Testimonial matchTestimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
at Salford
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
took place in 1984.