Charles Smith (rugby)

Charles Herbert Smith (13 February 1909 – 10 April 1976) was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for New Zealand (Heritage No. 406) (non-test matches), South Island and Otago (captain), and at club level for Southern RFC [1], as a centre, i.e. number 12 or 13,[3] switching codes in 1936. He played representative level rugby league (RL) for British Empire XIII, and at club level for Streatham and Mitcham and Halifax (Heritage No. 437), as a wing, or centre, i.e. number 2 or 5, or, 3 or 4.

Charles Smith
Personal information
Full nameCharles Herbert Smith
Born13 February 1909
Dunedin, New Zealand
Died10 April 1976(1976-04-10) (aged 67)
Dunedin, New Zealand
Playing information
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight11 st 9 lb (74 kg; 163 lb)
Rugby union
PositionCentre
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
≤1931–36Southern RFC
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1931–36Otago28
1933–34South Island
1934New Zealand00000
Rugby league
PositionWing, Centre
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1936Streatham and Mitcham
1936–48Halifax3186200186
Total3186200186
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1937British Empire XIII1
Source: [1][2]

Playing career

edit

International honours

edit

Smith represented New Zealand (RU) in the 16–13 victory over New South Wales at Sydney on Monday 6 August 1934, and scored a try in the 35–3 victory over Newcastle at Newcastle, New South Wales on Wednesday 22 August 1934, but was not selected for the 1935–36 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and Canada, and represented British Empire XIII (RL) in 15–0 victory over France at Stade Buffalo, Paris on Monday 1 November 1937.

Inter-Island honours

edit

Smith played for South Island in the match against North Island in the 1933 season, and as a replacement against North Island in 1934 season.[3]

Ranfurly Shield appearances

edit

Smith played for Otago in the defeats by Canterbury in the 1931 and 1933, and was captain in the 15–6 victory over Canterbury in 1935, and the three defences in 1936.[3]

Club career

edit

Smith made his début for Halifax on Saturday 5 December 1936, and made his last appearance on Saturday 25 December 1948.[4]

Challenge Cup Final appearances

edit

Charles Smith played right-centre, i.e. number 3, in Halifax's 2–9 defeat by Leeds in the 1940–41 Challenge Cup Final during the 1940–41 season at Odsal, Bradford, in front of a crowd of 28,500.[5]

Honoured at Halifax

edit

Smith is a Halifax Hall of Fame Inductee.[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Charlie Smith Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)". Rugby League Project. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  2. ^ "C Smith H Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)". Rugby League Project. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "Profile at stats.allblacks.com". stats.allblacks.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Halifax Hall of Fame". halifaxrlfc.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. ^ Irvin Saxton (publish date tbc) "History of Rugby League – № 46 – 1940–41". Rugby Leaguer ISBN n/a
edit