Name Karl Ifwersen Height 1.78 m Positions Second five-eighths | Died May 19, 1967, New Zealand Weight 76 kg | |
Karl Donald Ifwersen (1893–1967) was a New Zealand rugby football player who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union.
Contents
Early years
Ifwersen attended both St John's College and Auckland Grammar. He joined the new College Rifles rugby union club and was instrumental in helping the team win back-to-back junior championships in their first two years in ARFU competition. In 1912 he represented Auckland in provincial matches.
Rugby league career
Ifwersen then switched codes to rugby league, joining the Grafton club in the Auckland Rugby League competition. He played for Auckland before representing his club and made the 1913 New Zealand tour of Australia. He also played for the North Shore club.
World War
With the outbreak of World War I, Ifwersen joined the military and served for the duration of the war.
Return to league
After the War Ifwersen returned to New Zealand and again made the New Zealand side. He captained the Kiwis against the 1920 Great Britain Lions tourists. Ifwersen also captained the side in four Test matches in 1919.
Rugby union career
In 1921 Ifwersen switched codes, playing rugby union. He immediately returned to the rep team, captaining the combined Auckland-North Auckland side against South Africa in his first game back and scoring the only try.
Ifwersen played in one test match for the All Blacks during the 1921 South Africa tour of the country.
Ifwersen continued to play for Auckland between 1922 and 1938.
Later years
Ifwersen died in Auckland on 19 May 1967, having suffered considerably from football injuries during his old age.
Legacy
Ifwersen was inducted into the New Zealand Rugby League's Legends of League in 2000. He was the first New Zealander to represent his country in rugby league then in rugby union. This accomplishment would be unmatched until almost 90 years later by Sonny Bill Williams.