Name Joe Egan Role Rugby league | Died November 11, 2012 | |
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Joe Egan (26 March 1919 – 11 November 2012) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, and coached in the 1950s, and 1960s, playing at representative level for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Wigan from 1938 to 1950, and Leigh, as a hooker, or second-row, i.e. number 9, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums. Egan is a Wigan Hall of Fame inductee, and was a life member at Wigan, he died on 11 November 2012, aged 93.
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Wigan
Egan played hooker for a Rugby League XIII against Northern Command XIII at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 21 March 1942. Egan played hooker, and was captain in Wigan's 8-3 victory over Bradford Northern in the 1948 Challenge Cup Final during the 1947–48 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 1 May 1948, in front of a crowd of 91,465. he was the first captain to receive the trophy from a reigning monarch, King George VI. On the same day former prop forward with Egan on the indomitables tour Frank Whitcombe of Bradford Northern, was the first man to win the Lance Todd trophy on the losing side. Joe Egan, Frank Whitcombe & Ken Gee formed a formidable front row in the first two test which the Australians feared on the tour to Australia in 1946, he later became the oldest surviving member. He also won two Championships with Wigan, during the 1945–46 season, and the 1946–47 season. He accompanied the Great Britain test team as hooker on their tour of Australia in 1946 and 1948.
County Cup Final appearances
Joe Egan played hooker in Wigan's 10-7 victory over Salford in the 1938 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1938–39 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 22 October 1938, played hooker in the 3-7 defeat by Widnes in the 1945 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1945–46 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 27 October 1945, played hooker in the 9–3 victory over Belle Vue Rangers in the 1946 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1946–47 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 26 October 1946, played hooker in the 10–7 victory over Belle Vue Rangers in the 1947 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1947–48 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 1 November 1947, played hooker in the 14-8 victory over Warrington in the 1948 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1948–49 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 13 November 1948, and played hooker in the 20–7 victory over Leigh in the 1949 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1949–5 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 29 October 1949.
County Cup Final appearances
Joe Egan played hooker, and was the coach in Leigh's 6-14 defeat by Wigan in the 1951 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1951–52 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 27 October 1951, in front of a crowd of 33,230, and played hooker, and was the coach in the 22-5 victory over St. Helens in the 1952 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1952–53 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 29 November 1952, in front of a crowd of 34,785.
Post playing
Egan remained with Leigh purely as coach for the season after he had retired from playing, and finished 11th in his last season with Leigh. Egan later became coach of Wigan, taking them to Championship success in the 1959–60 season. Egan later coached the Warrington club, but after a disastrous start to the 1970–71 season, Joe Egan decided to stand down, and he was replaced by Peter Harvey.
Challenge Cup Final appearances
Joe Egan was the coach in Wigan's 9-13 victory over Workington Town in the 1958 Challenge Cup Final during the 1957–58 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 10 May 1958, in front of a crowd of 66,109, was the coach in the 30-13 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1959 Challenge Cup Final during the 1958–59 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 9 May 1959, in front of a crowd of 79,811, and was the coach in the 6-12 defeat by St. Helens in the 1961 Challenge Cup Final during the 1960–61 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 13 May 1961, in front of a crowd of 94,672.
County Cup Final appearances
Joe Egan was the coach in Leigh's 26-9 victory over Widnes in the 1955 Lancashire county cup Final during the 1955–56 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 15 October 1955, in front of a crowd of 26,504, was the coach in Warrington's 2–2 draw with St. Helens in the 1967 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1967–68 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 7 October 1967, and the 10–13 defeat by St. Helens in the 1967 Lancashire county cup Final replay during the 1967–68 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 2 December 1967