Arthur Summons
Encyclopedia
Arthur Summons is a former Australian representative rugby union
and rugby league
player, a dual-code rugby international fly-half or five-eighth. He captained the Australian national rugby league team
in five undefeated Tests from 1962 to 1964 and later also coached the side.
where he captained the school's first grade rugby union side. He represented for Combined High Schools and later captained a Sydney Combined Teacher's College side. He had also played junior Rugby League with the Mount Pritchard club.
and first represented for the Wallabies
in tour matches against the Springboks in 1956. He toured the British Isles on 1957–58 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France, making his full debut in the first Test of the tour against Wales
at Cardiff
. He played in four Tests of the tour only missing the France Test. During the 1958 seasons he made four Test appearances against firstly the New Zealand Māori rugby union team
and then three times against the All Blacks
on the Wallaby tour of New Zealand. He made two further test appearances against the visiting British Lions in Sydney in 1959, concluding his rugby union career with ten total Wallaby Test caps.
in 1960. He played in the 3 consecutive heart breaking Wests
Grand final
losses to St George between 1961 and 1963.
He first represented for Australia
in rugby league in 1961 against New Zealand appearing in six matches on tour including two Tests. He played in the two 1962 test losses against Great Britain before he was appointed captain for the 3rd Test with Reg Gasnier
and Keith Barnes
ruled out. Australia won the game 18-17 following a Ken Irvine
late sideline conversion of his own try.
His international rugby league debut in the 1st Test against New Zealand in Auckland on 1 July 1961 saw Summons become Australia's 26th dual code rugby international, following Rex Mossop
and preceding Michael Cleary.
In 1963 Summons lead Australia to wins against New Zealand, against South Africa and later that year on the Kangaroo tour of Britain for which he was appointed captain-coach. He missed all three tour Tests against the Lions
but masterminded the Ashes
victory, establishing a plan to dominate the British through the forwards. This was the first series victory on British soil for Australia. He captained Australia to victory in two Tests on the French Leg of the tour but did not represent again.
He finished his club career in Australia, playing five seasons with the Wagga Magpies and working as Secretary-Manager of the Wagga Wagga Leagues Club
. He was made a Life Member of the Sydney Cricket Ground
.
In February 2008, Summons was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL
and ARL
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.
and more diminutive Summons respectively, embraced in appreciation of each other's stoic efforts. The moment was captured by a newspaper photographer, John O'Gready, and published in the following day's Sun Herald. Subsequently the image won several awards, becoming known as The Gladiators. This image was the inspiration for the current premiership trophy's bronze statue.
In 2008 the Western Suburbs Magpies celebrated their centenary by inducting six inaugural members into the club's Hall of Fame. These six included Summons.
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...
and 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...
player, a dual-code rugby international fly-half or five-eighth. He captained the Australian national rugby league team
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
in five undefeated Tests from 1962 to 1964 and later also coached the side.
Schoolboy representative
Summons was educated at the publicly funded selective Homebush Boys High SchoolHomebush Boys High School
Homebush Boys High School, founded in 1936, is a comprehensive public high school for boys. It is located in Homebush, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
where he captained the school's first grade rugby union side. He represented for Combined High Schools and later captained a Sydney Combined Teacher's College side. He had also played junior Rugby League with the Mount Pritchard club.
Rugby union career
He was graded with the Gordon Rugby Union ClubGordon RFC
Gordon Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club based on the North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales. The club, known as the Highlanders, play out of Chatswood Oval and compete in the New South Wales Rugby Union grade competition.-Club information:...
and first represented for the Wallabies
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...
in tour matches against the Springboks in 1956. He toured the British Isles on 1957–58 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France, making his full debut in the first Test of the tour against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
at Cardiff
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
. He played in four Tests of the tour only missing the France Test. During the 1958 seasons he made four Test appearances against firstly the New Zealand Māori rugby union team
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
and then three times against the All Blacks
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....
on the Wallaby tour of New Zealand. He made two further test appearances against the visiting British Lions in Sydney in 1959, concluding his rugby union career with ten total Wallaby Test caps.
Rugby league career
With a young family and needing to improve his financial position, Summons signed with Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
in 1960. He played in the 3 consecutive heart breaking Wests
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
Grand final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
losses to St George between 1961 and 1963.
He first represented for Australia
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
in rugby league in 1961 against New Zealand appearing in six matches on tour including two Tests. He played in the two 1962 test losses against Great Britain before he was appointed captain for the 3rd Test with Reg Gasnier
Reg Gasnier
Reg Gasnier AM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach, regarded as one of the 20th century's finest players. He played in the centres for the St. George Dragons from 1959 to 1967...
and Keith Barnes
Keith Barnes
William Keith Barnes OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a fullback for the Australian national team and for the Balmain Tigers. He played in 14 Tests between 1959 and 1966, as national captain on 12 occasions. He was known as "Golden Boots" due to his...
ruled out. Australia won the game 18-17 following a Ken Irvine
Ken Irvine
Kenneth John Irvine was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. He holds the standing record for the most number of tries in a first-grade career – 212. No other player has yet managed 200 tries in their career, apart from Steve Menzies who has scored 216...
late sideline conversion of his own try.
His international rugby league debut in the 1st Test against New Zealand in Auckland on 1 July 1961 saw Summons become Australia's 26th dual code rugby international, following Rex Mossop
Rex Mossop
Rex Peers Mossop was an Australian rugby league and rugby union footballer—a dual-code international, and an Australian television personality from 1964 until 1991.-Rugby union career:...
and preceding Michael Cleary.
In 1963 Summons lead Australia to wins against New Zealand, against South Africa and later that year on the Kangaroo tour of Britain for which he was appointed captain-coach. He missed all three tour Tests against the 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"....
but masterminded the Ashes
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...
victory, establishing a plan to dominate the British through the forwards. This was the first series victory on British soil for Australia. He captained Australia to victory in two Tests on the French Leg of the tour but did not represent again.
He finished his club career in Australia, playing five seasons with the Wagga Magpies and working as Secretary-Manager of the Wagga Wagga Leagues Club
Wagga Wagga Leagues Club
Wagga Wagga Leagues Club was a club founded in 1955 by the Magpies Football Club in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.-History:In 1955, Magpies Football Club purchased an block in Gurwood Street from the Wagga Wagga War Services Home Commission, who constructed a temporary clubhouse...
. He was made a Life Member of the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
.
In February 2008, Summons was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
and ARL
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...
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.
The Gladiators
Summons was the subject of one of the most memorable sporting photographic images ever captured in Australia. The 1963 NSW Rugby League Premiership Grand Final between long term rivals Western Suburbs and St George was played in a torrential downpour on Saturday, 24 August. This, combined with the fact that the centre cricket pitch area of Sydney Cricket Ground was notoriously muddy in such conditions, ensured that the players were not only saturated but also caked in mud from head to toe. At the conclusion of the hard fought match which was won by St George, the captains of the two teams, the very tall Norm ProvanNorm Provan
Norm "Sticks" Provan is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. A giant of a man, he was a second-row forward with the St. George Dragons during their 11-year consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966...
and more diminutive Summons respectively, embraced in appreciation of each other's stoic efforts. The moment was captured by a newspaper photographer, John O'Gready, and published in the following day's Sun Herald. Subsequently the image won several awards, becoming known as The Gladiators. This image was the inspiration for the current premiership trophy's bronze statue.
In 2008 the Western Suburbs Magpies celebrated their centenary by inducting six inaugural members into the club's Hall of Fame. These six included Summons.
Sources
- Whiticker, AlanAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
& Hudson, Glen (2006) The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney - Whiticker, AlanAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
(2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney