James Collins "Jim" Gleeson was a New Zealand rugby football

Rugby football

Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...

er who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.

Rugby Football

Gleeson was a 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...

 scrum-half from the Hawkes Bay.

Rugby League

He was selected as one of the professional All Blacks on the 1907–1908 tour of Great Britain and Australia. However his major role on the tour was managerial, serving as treasurer and assisting Albert Baskiville with day to day administration duties. He was also part of the tours Management Committee and he usually spoke at the after match functions on behalf of the team. Despite these commitments Gleeson still participated in some matches, usually at halfback but occasionally on the wing.

When the tour finished Gleeson opted to stay behind in England and complete his legal studies at the Inns of Court

Inns of Court

The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. All such barristers must belong to one such association. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional...

. After he completed his studies he returned to New Zealand where he, along with Edward Tyne

Edward Tyne

Edward "Hone" Tyne was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.-Rugby Football:...

, helped establish the Hawke's Bay Rugby League in 1911. He later served on the New Zealand Council of the New Zealand Rugby League

New Zealand Rugby League

The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....

.