THE LOSS RUGBY LEAGUE LEGEND ARTHUR SUMMONS UNLOCKS PAST MEMORIES and THE PATH OF THE WINFIELD CUP TO NEW ZEALAND TV

THE LOSS RUGBY LEAGUE LEGEND ARTHUR SUMMONS UNLOCKS PAST MEMORIES and THE PATH OF THE WINFIELD CUP TO NEW ZEALAND TV

Rugby League legend Arthur Summons has died aged 84. Summons is
of the two players on League’s iconic Australian Trophy, THE WINFIELD CUP.

Playing League as a schoolboy I represented Wellington through the grades and first made the Senior side in 1959, aged just 19. In 1961, my last year playing League as it turned out, I was honoured to play for Wellington against the mighty Australian Kangaroos, which included Summons as their halfback.

It was a terrible day for us as the Aussies with stars like Reg Gasnier ran around us and through us at will and we lost by an embarrassing score. I tried hard all throughout the game, but was totally out of my depth with the speed and class of these guys. I did crash tackle Gasnier at one time, but only because he slowed on hearing the refs whistle, which I did not.

That evening we had a party with the Australian’s at their hotel, The Midland, and I got the chance to socially mingle with my heroes, including Gasnier and Summons. An evening I shall never forget which brings back better memories than of our hiding to these guys earlier in the day. One of the Aussies even gave me his Queensland jersey.

Anyway, later in life in 1992 and still a fan of the game and now Programme Director at TVNZ,  I was getting the weekly AUSTRALIAN WINFIELD CUP games sent to me on VHS tape by my Sydney based friend Stuart Rubin. I thought to myself why don’t we show this marvellous competition here?

I can’t be the only one to love this game.

So, I phoned Graeme Lowe, who was then coaching Manly, the club I followed. Graeme agreed to help me get the NZ TV rights for Australian Rugby League and was instrumental in assisting me close a contract.

                   John McCready and Graeme Lowe
So, Aussie League hit our screens, it was popular and eventually THE WARRIORS were formed and joined the WINFIELD CUP.

Whilst pleasing to see my passion for Rugby League now shared by thousands of my fellow New Zealanders I’ve never forgotten the path to that. Playing the game as a schoolboy in Wellington, playing against the great Australians, including Arthur Summons and the help from Graeme Lowe in getting our shared passion to a bigger audience.

R.I.P. Arthur Summons. A great man of Rugby League.