Herbert Kershaw
Encyclopedia
Herbert Kershaw was an English
rugby union
and professional rugby league
footballer of the 1900s and '10s who at representative level played rugby union (RU) for Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield RFC
, and at representative level played rugby league (RL) for Great Britain
, England
, and Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity
, playing at , and /, i.e. number 8 or 10, 9, 11 or 12, or 13, during the era of contested scrums.
After retirement from rugby league, in 1928 Wakefield RFC
employed him as bagman and he also assisted in training, paying him 2s
/6d
a week, (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £23.90 in 2009).
while at Wakefield Trinity in 1910 against Wales, in 1911 against Wales, and Australia, and caps for Great Britain
while at Wakefield Trinity on the 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand
against Australia, Australasia
, and New Zealand.
’s 17-0 victory over Hull in the 1908–09 Challenge Cup
final at Headingley Stadium on 20 April 1909.
he gained Yorkshire County R.U. honours. His entry into Trinity
's ranks came at a time when the highly-successful half-back combination of Slater and Newbould
was in full swing - but he proved himself a versatile player and when, for that famous Cup
semi-final against Wigan, Trinity
found themselves without a loose-forward, Herbert stepped into the breach. His fast and clever play plus deadly tackling made a handsome contribution to Trinity
's victory. He played at loose forward in the Challenge Cup
final v. Hull and that became his settled position. Not only that, but he went on the 1910 Tour as loose-forward and played in the Brisbane Test"
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
rugby union
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 professional 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 of the 1900s and '10s who at representative level played rugby union (RU) for Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC was an English rugby union club, founded in 1901, and which dropped out of the English leagues in 2004 as a result of the effects of professionalism...
, and at representative level played rugby league (RL) for 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"....
, England
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...
, and Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
, playing at , and /, i.e. number 8 or 10, 9, 11 or 12, or 13, during the era of contested scrums.
After retirement from rugby league, in 1928 Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC was an English rugby union club, founded in 1901, and which dropped out of the English leagues in 2004 as a result of the effects of professionalism...
employed him as bagman and he also assisted in training, paying him 2s
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
/6d
Penny (British pre-decimal coin)
The penny of the Kingdom of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom, was in circulation from the early 18th century until February 1971, Decimal Day....
a week, (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £23.90 in 2009).
International honours
Herbert Kershaw won caps for EnglandEngland 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...
while at Wakefield Trinity in 1910 against Wales, in 1911 against Wales, and Australia, and caps for 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"....
while at Wakefield Trinity on 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...
against Australia, Australasia
Australasia rugby league team
-1911-12:Following individual tours by New Zealand and Australia in 1907-08 and 1908-09 respectively, the Northern Rugby Football Union invited an 'Australasian' team to tour Great Britain during the 1911-12 season...
, and New Zealand.
Challenge Cup final appearances
Herbert Kershaw played Right-, i.e. number 12, in Wakefield TrinityWakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
’s 17-0 victory over Hull in the 1908–09 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 at Headingley Stadium on 20 April 1909.
Contemporaneous Article Extract
"Played his earliest football with Thornes Lane Rovers and Thornes United, then at scrum half for Wakefield R.U.Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC was an English rugby union club, founded in 1901, and which dropped out of the English leagues in 2004 as a result of the effects of professionalism...
he gained Yorkshire County R.U. honours. His entry into Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
's ranks came at a time when the highly-successful half-back combination of Slater and Newbould
Thomas Newbould
Thomas "Tommy" 'Trapper' Henry Newbould was an English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s and '10s who at club level played rugby union for Yorkshire, and at club level , and at representative level played rugby league for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and...
was in full swing - but he proved himself a versatile player and when, for that famous 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....
semi-final against Wigan, Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
found themselves without a loose-forward, Herbert stepped into the breach. His fast and clever play plus deadly tackling made a handsome contribution to Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
's victory. He played at loose forward in the 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 v. Hull and that became his settled position. Not only that, but he went on the 1910 Tour as loose-forward and played in the Brisbane Test"