Jim Mills (rugby)

Last updated

Jim Mills
Personal information
Born (1944-09-24) 24 September 1944 (age 79)
Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales
Playing information
Height6 ft 4 in (193 cm) [1]
Weight17 st 13 lb (114 kg)
Rugby union
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1963–65 Cardiff 162006
Rugby league
Position Prop
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1965–68 Halifax 37+160018
1968 Salford 4+10000
1968–70 Bradford Northern 50+260018
1970–72 North Sydney 3780024
1972–76 Widnes 94+1140042
1976–77 Workington Town 233009
1977–80 Widnes 88+5250075
Total3436200186
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1974–79 Great Britain 60000
1969–79 Wales 173009
1974 Other Nationalities 10000
1974–79 GB tour games 16+140012
1975 Wales tour games 3+11003
Source: [2] [3] [4]

Jim Mills (born 24 September 1944) is a Welsh former rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. A Wales and Great Britain international representative prop, "Big Jim" as he was known, played club rugby in England with Halifax, Salford, Bradford Northern, Widnes (two spells) (with whom he won two Challenge Cups) and Workington Town, and also in Australia for North Sydney. [2] He is the father of former Widnes forward David Mills.

Contents

Background

Jim Mills was born in Aberdare on 29 September 1944. He originally played rugby union in Wales with Cardiff before turning professional.

Professional playing career

Mills started playing rugby league in 1965 for English club Halifax. In 1972 he started playing for Widnes. Mills played left-prop in Widnes' 0–5 defeat by Leigh in the 1972 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1972–73 season at Central Park, Wigan on Tuesday 19 December 1972.

Mills won caps for Great Britain in 1974 against Australia (2 matches) and New Zealand. [2] During the 1974–75 season he played at prop in Widnes' 6–2 victory over Salford in the 1974 Lancashire Cup Final at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 2 November 1974. Mills played left-prop in Widnes' 2–3 defeat by Bradford Northern in the 1974–75 Player's No.6 Trophy Final at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 25 January 1975. He played left-prop and scored a try in Widnes' 14–7 victory over Warrington in the 1975 Challenge Cup Final during the 1974–75 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 10 May 1975.

After a strong display in Wales' victory over England in the 1975 World Series in Brisbane, Sydney's Manly-Warringah and Canterbury-Bankstown clubs were keen to get the prop's signature. [5] Mills was banned for the rest of the season after stomping on John Greengrass' head in the 25–24 win over New Zealand at Swansea in the same tournament. The ban was eventually lifted on 2 January 1976; however, Mills remained banned for life by the New Zealand Rugby League. [6]

Mills played left-prop in the 16–7 victory over Salford in the 1975 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1975–76 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 4 October 1975.

He played left-prop in the 19–13 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1975–76 Player's No.6 Trophy Final during the 1975–76 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 24 January 1976. He played left-prop in Workington Town's 11–16 defeat by Widnes in the 1976 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1976–77 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 30 October 1976, and played left-prop in Widnes' 15–13 victory over Workington Town in the 1978 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1978–79 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 7 October 1978.

Mills played right-prop in the 13–7 victory over St. Helens in the 1978 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1978–79 season at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Tuesday 12 December 1978.

Mills played prop in the 12–3 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the 1979 Challenge Cup Final during the 1978–79 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 5 May 1979. He played for Great Britain again in 1978 and '79 against Australia. [2]

Mills was selected to play at prop forward for Great Britain in all three Ashes tests of the 1978 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France. He also played in Widnes' victory over the touring Australian side. The Open Rugby inaugural World XIII was revealed in June 1978 and included Mills. He played left-prop in the 16–4 victory over Warrington in the 1978–79 John Player Trophy Final at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Saturday 28 April 1979, and appeared as a substitute (replacing Prop Brian Hogan) in the 0–6 defeat by Bradford Northern in the 1979–80 John Player Trophy Final at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 5 January 1980.

Post-playing

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 Welsh national team. Jim Mills is the father of the rugby league footballer; David Mills.

Honours

Related Research Articles

Alexander James Murphy OBE is an English former professional rugby league footballer, and coach of the mid to late 20th century. Known as 'Murphy the Mouth' and regarded as one of the greatest halfbacks in the history of the British game, he represented Great Britain in 27 Tests and his club career was played at three clubs, St. Helens, Leigh and Warrington. Murphy assumed a player-coach role of the last two clubs and expanded his coaching role toward the end of his playing career to include clubs such as Wigan, Salford and Huddersfield. He later returned to both Warrington and Leigh respectively as a football manager. He was the first player to captain three different clubs to victory in the Challenge Cup Final.

Michael Adams was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and captained Widnes. He played as a second-row or loose forward.

Eric Hughes is a retired English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached rugby league in the 1980s and 1990s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for England (Under-15s), and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Widnes, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, St Helens and the Rochdale Hornets, as a wing, centre or stand-off, and coached at club level for Widnes, Rochdale Hornets, St Helens, Leigh and Wigan Warriors. He unwittingly added confusion to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs team as he was unrelated but played at the same time as the three Australian brothers named Hughes; Garry, Graeme and Mark.

Charles Douglas Laughton is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain (captain), winning 15 caps in all, winning a further cap for England, and Lancashire, and at club level for St. Helens, Wigan, Widnes, and Canterbury-Bankstown, as a second-row, or loose forward, and coached at club level for Widnes and Leeds.

Maurice Charles Rees Richards is a Welsh former dual-code international rugby footballer. A wing, he was part of the 1968 British Lions tour to South Africa.

Edward Bowman is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Cumberland, and at club level for Whitehaven, Workington Town, Leigh and Wigan, as a prop, or second-row.

Harold Paul Charlton is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England, Cumberland and Cumbria, and at club level for Kells ARLFC, Workington Town, Salford and Blackpool Borough, as a fullback, and coached at club level for Workington Town. He was part of the Great Britain squad which won the 1972 World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Chisnall (rugby league)</span> GB & England international rugby league footballer

David Chisnall was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Leigh, Warrington (captain), Swinton, St. Helens and Barrow, as a prop.

William Ramsey was an English professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop, second-row or loose forward in the 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, Yorkshire, and Commonwealth XIII, and at club level for Hunslet, Leeds, Bradford Northern, Hull FC and Widnes during the era of contested scrums, and coached at club level for Hunslet. During his Leeds career Ramsey appeared in 17 major Finals, including five at Wembley Stadium, London, scored a rare drop goal in the 1969 Championship Final, toured twice in 1966 and 1974, and won seven winners medals with Leeds.

David Eckersley is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Leigh, St Helens, Widnes, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and Fulham RLFC, as a goal-kicking fullback, centre or stand-off.

Keith Elwell, also known by the nicknames of "The Mole" or "Chiefy", is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for Widnes and on loan to Barrow, as a hooker.

Dennis O'Neill is a World Cup winning former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Lancashire, and at club level for Widnes and Oldham, as a stand-off.

Kenneth Gill is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Salford, Widnes and Barrow, as a stand-off.

Stuart Wright is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for Wigan and Widnes, as a wing.

Glyndwr Shaw was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union, and rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played representative level rugby union for Wales, and at club level for Neath RFC, as a prop and representative level rugby league for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Widnes, Wigan, Warrington and Rochdale Hornets, as a prop, or second-row.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parry Gordon</span> England international rugby league footballer

John Parry-Gordon was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for England and Lancashire, and at club level for Warrington, as a scrum-half.

John Brian Hogan was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for England and Lancashire, and at club level for St. Helens, Wigan, Workington Town, Bradford Northern, Widnes, and Oldham, as a prop, or second-row.

David Hull is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at club level for St Helens, Widnes and Fulham RLFC, as a centre, second-row or loose forward.

Malcolm Aspey is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1980s. He played at club level for Fulham RLFC, Wigan, and Salford, as a centre, and coached at club level for Salford.

William Pattinson, also known as Billy Pattinson, is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for the British Amateur Rugby League Association Great Britain Lions, England and Cumbria, and at club level for Broughton Moor ARLFC, Cockermouth ARLFC, and Workington Town, as a second-row or loose forward.

References

  1. ↑ "A Rugby Giant". widnesvikings.co.uk. Widnes Vikings. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ↑ Lush, Peter; Bamford, Maurice (2013). Big Jim: Jim Mills – A rugby giant. London League Publication. ISBN   978-1903659700.
  4. ↑ Gate, Robert (1986). Gone North: v. 1: Welshmen in Rugby League. R. Gate. p. 136. ISBN   0951119001.
  5. ↑ Clarkson, Alan (13 June 1975). "Canterbury's bid for Mills". The Sydney Morning Herald . p. 13. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  6. ↑ Tears and handshake for league thuggery 33 years ago The Press, 29 June 2008
  7. ↑ "A complete history of the World XIII". Total Rugby League. 20 March 2018. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.