Jim Mills (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Jim Mills is a Welsh
former rugby league
footballer of the 1960s and '70s. A Great Britain
and Wales
international representative prop forward, "Big Jim" as he was known played club football in England with Halifax
, Salford
, Bradford Northern
, Widnes
and Workington Town
and also in Australia for North Sydney
. His son, David Mills became a prop forward for Widnes as well, playing in Super League
.
Mills originally played rugby union club football in Wales with Cardiff RFC
before turning professional and playing in England.
After a strong display in Wales' win against England in the 1975 World Series
in Brisbane, Sydney's Manly-Warringah and Canterbury-Bankstown clubs were keen to get the prop's signature. Mills was banned for the rest of the season after an altercation in the 25-24 win over New Zealand at Swansea in the same tournament. The ban was eventually lifted on 2 January 1976.
Jim Mills was also one of the original thirteen former Widnes players inducted into the Widnes Hall of Fame in 1992. That year he also worked as team manager for the Wales national team.
(RL) while at Bradford Northern, and Widnes 1969…1979 (14?)17-caps 3-tries 9-points, and won caps for Great Britain
(RL) in 1974 against Australia (2 matches), and New Zealand, in 1978 against Australia, and in 1979 against Australia.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
former 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 1960s and '70s. A 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"....
and Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
international representative prop forward, "Big Jim" as he was known played club football in England with Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
, Salford
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
, Bradford Northern
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
, Widnes
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
and Workington Town
Workington Town
Workington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....
and also in Australia for North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
. His son, David Mills became a prop forward for Widnes as well, playing in Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
.
Mills originally played rugby union club football in Wales with Cardiff RFC
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
before turning professional and playing in England.
After a strong display in Wales' win against England in the 1975 World Series
1975 World Series
The 1975 World Series was played between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds . It has been ranked by ESPN as the second-greatest World Series ever played...
in Brisbane, Sydney's Manly-Warringah and Canterbury-Bankstown clubs were keen to get the prop's signature. Mills was banned for the rest of the season after an altercation in the 25-24 win over New Zealand at Swansea in the same tournament. The ban was eventually lifted on 2 January 1976.
Jim Mills was also one of the original thirteen former Widnes players inducted into the Widnes Hall of Fame in 1992. That year he also worked as team manager for the Wales national team.
International honours
Jim Mills won caps for WalesWales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
(RL) while at Bradford Northern, and Widnes 1969…1979 (14?)17-caps 3-tries 9-points, and won 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"....
(RL) in 1974 against Australia (2 matches), and New Zealand, in 1978 against Australia, and in 1979 against Australia.