John Percival (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
John Percival was a New Zealand
rugby league
referee. An international referee, in 1995 Percival was one of the New Zealand Rugby League
's inaugural inductions into the "Legends of League".
club and played for the 1947 Schoolboy Kiwi side.
He took up refereeing in 1956 and controlled matches in the Auckland Rugby League
competition. By 1960 he was receiving provincial appointments. He earned a reputation for being a dominant and "eagle-eyed" referee.
Percival is credited with innovating the penalty for backchat as he regularly used to march teams for the offence before it was added to the official rulebook.
The Auckland Rugby League
's Referee of the Year award is named the "John Percival Memorial Premiership Referee of the Year" in recognition of Percival's service to the game.
toured New Zealand. Percival controlled 27 internationals between 1964 and 1980, the most for a New Zealand official. This included nine matches in the 1968
and 1975
World Cups
. In 1995 Percival was one of the inaugural inductees onto the NZRL's Legends of League. He is an Auckland Rugby League
Immortal.
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
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...
referee. An international referee, in 1995 Percival was one 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....
's inaugural inductions into the "Legends of League".
Domestic career
Percival was from the Point Chevalier PiratesPoint Chevalier Pirates
The Point Chevalier Pirates are an Auckland rugby league club based in Point Chevalier. The Pirates currently compete in the Phelan Shield competition run by the Auckland Rugby League.-History:The club was founded in 1920....
club and played for the 1947 Schoolboy Kiwi side.
He took up refereeing in 1956 and controlled matches in the Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
competition. By 1960 he was receiving provincial appointments. He earned a reputation for being a dominant and "eagle-eyed" referee.
Percival is credited with innovating the penalty for backchat as he regularly used to march teams for the offence before it was added to the official rulebook.
The Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
's Referee of the Year award is named the "John Percival Memorial Premiership Referee of the Year" in recognition of Percival's service to the game.
International career
His first Test match was in 1964 when the FrenchFrance national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
toured New Zealand. Percival controlled 27 internationals between 1964 and 1980, the most for a New Zealand official. This included nine matches in the 1968
1968 Rugby League World Cup
- Final standings :-Final:The final had been billed a 'debacle' following Great Britain's inexplicable loss to France in Auckland, leaving them to contest the final despite being beaten by Australia seven tries to none two days prior....
and 1975
1975 Rugby League World Cup
The 1975 Rugby League World Cup was the seventh staging of rugby league football's World Cup tournament...
World Cups
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
. In 1995 Percival was one of the inaugural inductees onto the NZRL's Legends of League. He is an Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
Immortal.
Later years
Percival was involved on the board of the Auckland Warriors in 1995 while they were owned by the Auckland Rugby LeagueAuckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
.