Les Pearce

Leslie Pearce (13 October 1923 – 21 April 2018[4]) was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s, and coached rugby league in the 1970s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Swansea RFC as a lock, and club level rugby league (RL) for Halifax (Heritage № 619) as a second-row, and coached representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales, and at club level for Halifax, Leigh and Dewsbury.

For the New Zealand film director, see Leslie Pearce.

Leslie Pearce
Personal information
Full nameLeslie Pearce
Born(1923-10-13)13 October 1923
Swansea, Wales
Died21 April 2018(2018-04-21) (aged 94)
Playing information
Rugby union
PositionLock
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1948–49 Swansea RFC 31 4 12
Rugby league
PositionSecond-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1949–59 Halifax 120 16 0 0 48
1959–?? Dewsbury
Total 120 16 0 0 48
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
Halifax
1972–74 Leigh
Dewsbury
Total 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1975 Wales
Source: [1][2][3]


In Memory Of Les Pearce: An Obituary By Mike Latham By AP - 23rd April 2018106

Les was coach of Leigh in the early 1970s and steered the side to a famous victory over Widnes in the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final at Central Park in December 1972.

The following season he oversaw a march to the Challenge Cup semi-final and a controversial defeat against Featherstone Rovers at Headingley.

A passionate Welshman from Swansea, Les came north to sign for Halifax in 1949 and played for the Thrum Hallers for a decade. He continued to live in the town after his playing career was over.

He coached both Dewsbury and Halifax before coming to Hilton Park in November 1972, making his reputation as ‘Fax beat Wakefield in the inaugural John Player Trophy Final in January of that year.

Les joined Leigh at a time of transition both for the club and the game. It was the last season of the old one division system with two divisions formed for the following year and there was a battle royal to finish in the top 16.

The Leigh club had won at Wembley in 1971 but was still readjusting after player-coach Alex Murphy’s abrupt departure to Warrington in the immediate aftermath of that game. Only a handful of the Wembley side remained and Les was the third coach to be appointed in 18 months, following Peter Smethurst and Derek Hurt into what had become a coaching hot seat.

Les brought some unity and enthusiasm to the club after losing their first six games of the season and that final victory over Widnes on a cold Tuesday night just six days before Christmas was regarded as a shock result at the time and a tribute to his powers of motivation.

Only five players remained from the Wembley side- Mick Collins, Tony Barrow, Paul Grimes, Jimmy Fiddler and Roy Lester and Leigh were given little chance against the Chemics.

When the second half was broadcast to the nation on BBC2 television the game was still scoreless and it took a piece of inspiration to turn the game Leigh’s way. Hooker Derek Clarke astutely kicked to the corner and Australian winger Graeme Lawson got the vital touchdown by the flag. Fiddler increased


Leigh’s lead with a penalty goal and the team’s superb defensive effort held out for inspirational captain Tony Barrow to lift the trophy.

Though only 4,872 fans deserted their firesides to watch the game Leigh’s victory gave their supporters a much-needed boost after the turmoil following the Wembley win.

In the second half of the season Pearce oversaw a revival as a run of 13 wins and a draw in the last 18 league games secured 13th position and earned a coveted place in the first division for the following season.

The 1973-74 season was another difficult one for the club and they were eventually relegated after earning only seven wins in 30 games. With a system of four up and four down Leigh became one of the ‘yo-yo’ clubs, bouncing between the divisions over the next few seasons.

Leigh famously led the 1973 Australians 4-3 at half-time of the tour game before going down to a creditable 31-4 defeat. Just two days before meeting the Kangaroos Leigh had played Bramley in a league game at Hilton Park, winning 7-0 so their second half fade-out was even more understandable.

Despite the unavailing battle for league survival Les Pearce’s motivational skills brought about a famous cup run as Leigh went desperately close to their second Wembley appearance in three years.

After beating Yorkshire amateurs Kippax White Swan in the first round they famously defeated both Widnes and St Helens at Hilton Park to reach the last four, skipper Jimmy Fiddler leading from the front.

The semi-final against Featherstone was coated in controversy as John Stringer, secretary at the time explains.

“There was an early disallowed try for Mick Stacey after a Tommy Martyn pass that was given forward and was never forward in the memory of man,” John recalls. “Everything seemed to go against us. Featherstone scored a try on the seventh tackle and there was a controversy that they had used too many substitutes. Bill Fallowfield, secretary general of the RFL was sat behind us in the stand. ‘You’ve got to complain” he told me. We did but it made no difference. We lost 21-14 but it could have been so different.”

The following day, in a situation that could seemingly only happen in Rugby League, Leigh had to visit Featherstone for a re-arranged league game. That game has also gone down in folklore.

“Had we won the semi-final there would have been no problem,” Stringer explains,” but a combination of injuries and broken hearts left Les desperately searching to field a side.

“We got to Featherstone with eleven players and Keith Bell, the Featherstone loose forward helped us out and roped in two of his mates who played in the amateur game to play for us. Brian Gomm, who had gone to the game on his motorbike to report for the Leigh Journal was hastily recruited and Les, at the age of 50 was the other substitute.”

Gomm, who later played professionally for Huyton and Swinton came on for Cliff Sayer to make an unlikely debut (and in a fine exhibition of multi-tasking later penned a match report for the Journal) but Les Pearce stayed resolutely sat on the bench as an unused substitute as Rovers won 46-7. At least Leigh had fulfilled the fixture in difficult circumstances. At the end of a season that faded away with eight successive defeats Les Pearce left the club and was replaced as coach by Eddie Cheetham.

“Les was larger than life, a real character,” John Stringer recalls. “He was glad to get a coaching role at Leigh and did a good job in difficult circumstances. He rated winning the Floodlit Trophy as one of his greatest achievements.

“There was no money around in those days and Les was really coaching on a shoestring. He was approachable, genuinely likeable, straight talking and passionate. The players liked playing for him.”

After leaving Leigh Les returned to coach Halifax and enjoyed one of the best years of his coaching career in charge of Wales in the 1975 World Cup.

The elongated tournament was contested between five countries in two hemispheres with the cup awarded to the league leaders. Australia won the cup with 13pts from eight games, finishing one point ahead of England.

Wales finished a highly creditable third, ahead of New Zealand and France with three victories. Their 12-7 win over England at Lang Park in a fiercely contested game became known as the ‘Battle of Brisbane’ and Wales’ victory effectively spoilt English hopes of lifting the trophy.

In November 1975 Wales famously beat New Zealand 25-24 at the St Helen’s ground in Swansea with a side including such famous names as David Watkins, John Bevan, David Willicombe, Bill Francis, Jim Mills, Tony Fisher, John Mantle and Roy Mathias.

Francis scored two tries with Bevan, Wllicombe and Mantle also crossing and Watkins kicking five goals. Leigh’s Clive Jones played on that memorable day.

The New Zealand side included great names such as Fred Ah Kuoi, Kurt Sorensen, Phil Orchard, Tony Coll and Dennis Williams.

Four days later Wales completed their World Cup games with a 23-2 victory over France at Salford. They were highly competitive in each game, losing only 30-13 to Australia in Sydney and 18-6 at Swansea in the return while the return game with England was a narrow 22-16 defeat at Wilderspool.

As Ian Golden states in his wonderful obituary of Les on the walesrugbyleague.co.uk website, it remains the last time Wales have defeated New Zealand in either code of rugby.

You could get no better accolade than that for a passionate Welshman and Les, a regular at player reunions until recently and a great friend of Jim Mills and other Welsh players, was immensely proud to have been involved that day.

Les Pearce, b Swansea 13 Oct 1923, d Halifax 21 April 2018

Background

Les Pearce was born in Swansea,[5] and he aged 94.

Coaching career

International honours

Les Pearce was the coach for Wales in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup.

Player's No.6 Trophy Final appearances

Les Pearce was the coach in Halifax's 22-11 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the 1971–72 Player's No.6 Trophy Final during the 1971–72 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 22 January 1972.

BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final appearances

Les Pearce was the coach in Leigh's 5-0 victory over Widnes in the 1972 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1972-73 season at Central Park, Wigan on Tuesday 19 December 1972.

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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. "Les Pearce - Halifax & Wales coach". Rugby League Journal. No. 63. Summer 2018. p. 31.
  4. "Former Wales head coach Les Pearce dies aged 93". Wales Rugby League. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  5. "Statistics at swansearfc.co.uk". swansearfc.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
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