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Charles Russell (rugby)
Encyclopedia
Charles "Boxer" Joseph Russell (5 December 1884 – 15 May 1957) was a pioneer Australian rugby union
and rugby league
footballer and coach. He represented his country in both sports and was one Australia's early dual-code rugby internationals. He was a gold medallist at the 1908 Summer Olympics
.
Russell was a centre/winger whose club rugby was played with the Newtown RUFC in Sydney. He played three Tests for the Wallabies
in 1907 against the All Blacks
before being selected for the first Wallaby tour of Britain in 1908. He played in both Tests of the tour scoring tries in each. His 24 tries in all games of that tour still stands as Wallaby record. He was a member of the Australian Olympic
team who won Gold in London in 1908 in the team captained by Chris McKivat
.
During the 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand
, the first ever, Russell made his international league debut in the first Test in Sydney on 18 June. Four of his former Wallaby
team mates also debuted that day John Barnett, Bob Craig, Jack Hickey, and Chris McKivat
- making them collectively Australia's 11th to 15th dual code internationals. This repeated a similar occurrence two years earlier when five former Wallabies in Micky Dore
, Dally Messenger
, Denis Lutge
, Doug McLean snr and Johnny Rosewell all debuted for the Kangaroos
in the first ever Test against New Zealand
. His club football was with Newtown
in Sydney. He was captain-coach of the Newtown premiership-winning side of 1910, landing two goals to tie the final against South Sydney
4-4, thus enabling Newtown to win the premiership.
Russell was also selected for the 1911-12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain
.
. He was a graded referee and served as an Australian rugby league selector for a number of years.
In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Russell was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.
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...
footballer and coach. He represented his country in both sports and was one Australia's early dual-code rugby internationals. He was a gold medallist at the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
.
Rugby union career
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 1907 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....
before being selected for the first Wallaby tour of Britain in 1908. He played in both Tests of the tour scoring tries in each. His 24 tries in all games of that tour still stands as Wallaby record. He was a member of the Australian Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
team who won Gold in London in 1908 in the team captained by Chris McKivat
Chris McKivat
Christopher Hobart McKivat was an Australian rugby union and rugby league player – a dual-code rugby international. He represented the Wallabies in over 20 Tests and tour matches from 1907 to 1909 and the Kangaroos in 5 Tests from 1910 to 1912...
.
Rugby league career
On his return to Australia he joined the fledgling code of rugby league along with 13 of his Olympic teammates. He played at full-back in the first Test against Great Britain in 1910 when Australia hosted the tourists. He was selected in 1911 for the 2nd Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and played in 24 tour matches scoring 9 tries. He played on the wing in the victorious 1st and 2nd Tests of 1911.During the 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand
1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand
The 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand was the first international tour of the Great Britain national rugby league team, "The Lions". They played the second ever Ashes series against Australia before travelling to Auckland to take on New Zealand...
, the first ever, Russell made his international league debut in the first Test in Sydney on 18 June. Four of his former Wallaby
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...
team mates also debuted that day John Barnett, Bob Craig, Jack Hickey, and Chris McKivat
Chris McKivat
Christopher Hobart McKivat was an Australian rugby union and rugby league player – a dual-code rugby international. He represented the Wallabies in over 20 Tests and tour matches from 1907 to 1909 and the Kangaroos in 5 Tests from 1910 to 1912...
- making them collectively Australia's 11th to 15th dual code internationals. This repeated a similar occurrence two years earlier when five former Wallabies in Micky Dore
Micky Dore
Michael Joseph "Micky" Dore , was an Australian representative rugby union and rugby league player - a dual-code international. He was one of the founding fathers of rugby league in Queensland...
, Dally Messenger
Dally Messenger
Herbert Henry "Dally" Messenger was an Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer, recognised as one of the greatest ever players in either code. Messenger, or 'The Master' as he was dubbed, represented his country in both rugby football codes, playing two rugby union tests and seven...
, Denis Lutge
Denis Lutge
Denis "Dinny" Lutge was a pioneer Australian rugby league and rugby union player, a dual-code international...
, Doug McLean snr and Johnny Rosewell all debuted for the Kangaroos
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 the first ever Test against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. His club football was with Newtown
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
in Sydney. He was captain-coach of the Newtown premiership-winning side of 1910, landing two goals to tie the final against South Sydney
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
4-4, thus enabling Newtown to win the premiership.
Russell was also selected for the 1911-12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain
1911-12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain
The 1911-12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain was the second ever Kangaroo tour and was actually a tour by an "Australasia" team, which included four New Zealand players, rather than the Australian team alone...
.
Post playing
Russell coached Newtown for a number of years including the premiership winning team of 1933New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1933
The 1933 NSWRFL season was the twenty-sixth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. Eight teams from across the city contested the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership during the season, which lasted from April until September, and...
. He was a graded referee and served as an Australian rugby league selector for a number of years.
In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Russell was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.