Des White

Desmond Henry White[3] (born 1927) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s.[1][2] A record-breaking goal-kicking fullback,[4] he was named amongst the country's finest players of the 20th century. His total for points scored in all matches (61) for the Kiwis is a record 467 (7 tries and 233 goals). He won championships with Auckland's Ponsonby club and his total of 794 points (391 goals and four tries) is the all-time club record.

Des White
Personal information
Full nameDesmond Henry White
Born1927
Playing information
PositionFullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1947–?? Ponsonby
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Auckland
1950–56 New Zealand 21 2 47 0 100
Coaching information
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
Auckland
1961 New Zealand 2 1 0 1 50
Source: [1][2]

Playing career

White played his first senior game with the Auckland Rugby League's Ponsonby club in 1947.[5]

White toured Britain with the New Zealand national team in 1951, playing in the first ever televised match of rugby league at Station Road, Swinton against Great Britain and kicking two goals.[6] During the 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand, White was selected to play for both Auckland and New Zealand at fullback. He later kicked a world record 11 goals (from 14 attempts) against Australia in 1952 when New Zealand won the Test series in Brisbane. On that tour he set another record by scoring 107 points to become the first Kiwi to top the century in Australia. White kicked 18 goals in the series, equalling the world record.

In 1954, while playing for Auckland against Great Britain, he ruptured his spleen when tackled illegally by Doug Greenall. White underwent surgery and was out of the game for two years, missing the first ever World Cup in 1954.[7]

He scored 132 points in 21 tests, a Kiwi record until overtaken by Matthew Ridge. His total of 467 points in 61 matches in the black and white jersey may never be overtaken now that long tours are a thing of the past. White's record 202 points on the tour of Britain and France in 1951/52 will probably last forever.

Later years

Following his retirement, White became a coach and led Auckland. He was appointed coach of the New Zealand national team in 1961, only spending one season in the position.

Des White was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1995 he was one of the inaugural inductees of the NZRL's Legends of League.[8] He is also an Auckland Rugby League Immortal.[9]

In 2007, White was named at fullback in the New Zealand Rugby League's team of the century of 1907 to 2007.

White also became a successful grocer, owning the New World Papatoetoe supermarket for a number of years.

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References
  1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. WHITE, Desmond Henry 1950 - 54, 1956 - Kiwi #323 Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine nzleague.co.nz
  4. John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. p. 127. ISBN 978-1-86969-331-2.
  5. Smith, Max (1966). Game as you like. Whitcombe and Tombs.
  6. totalrl.com. "When League was the new TV game (archived)". On this day in history. League Publications Ltd. Archived from the original on 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  7. Coffey, John and Bernie Wood Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009, 2009. ISBN 978-1-86969-366-4, p.161.
  8. "New Zealand Rugby League Annual Report 2008" (PDF). NZRL. 2008. Archived from the original (pdf) on 2009-09-12. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  9. Stacey Jones, Auckland Rugby League Immortal Archived 2011-07-24 at the Wayback Machine est1995.co.nz, 21 September 2003
Preceded by
Travers Hardwick		 Coach
New Zealand national rugby league team
1961		 Succeeded by
Bill Telford
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