Name Ronald Rylance Height 1.78 m | Died Wakefield, United Kingdom Positions Fullback, Stand-off | |
Ronald "Ron" Rylance (11 March 1924 – 11 January 1998) birth registered in Wakefield district, West Riding of Yorkshire, was a professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1940s, and 1950s, playing at representative level for England, and Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity (captain) (Heritage № 486), Dewsbury, and Huddersfield, as a Fullback, Wing, Centre, or Stand-off/Five-eighth, i.e. number 1, 2 or 5, 3 or 4, or 6, he died in Wakefield, West Yorkshire and he is buried Sugar Lane Cemetery, Wakefield adjacent to Belle Vue stadium.
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Club career
Rylance played Right-Wing, i.e. number 2, in Wakefield Trinity's 13–12 victory over Wigan in the 1946 Challenge Cup Final during the 1945–46 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 4 May 1946, in front of a crowd of 54,730.
Rylance played Stand-off/Five-eighth in Wakefield Trinity's 2–5 defeat by Bradford Northern in the 1945 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1945–46 season at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 3 November 1945, played Centre, i.e. number 3, and scored a try in the 10–0 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1946 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1946–47 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 31 November 1946, he did not play in the 7–7 draw with Leeds in the 1947 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1947–48 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 1 November 1947, and played Left-Wing, i.e. number 5, and was captain in the 8–7 victory over Leeds in the 1947 Yorkshire County Cup Final replay during the 1947–48 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Wednesday 5 November 1947.
Rylance made his début for Wakefield Trinity in the 27–2 victory of Broughton Rangers at Belle Vue on Saturday 6 September 1941. In 1950, he left Wakefield Trinity and joined Dewsbury. In August 1951, he moved to Huddersfield.
Representative honours
Rylance won a cap for England while at Wakefield Trinity in 1947 against Wales. He was also selected for Yorkshire County XIII while at Wakefield Trinity during the 1945/46 and 1946/47 seasons.
He was in the Great Britain squad while at Huddersfield for the 1954 Rugby League World Cup in France, but did not participate in any of the four matches.
Contemporaneous Article Extract
"Played RU with Wakefield Q.E. Grammar School, but had experience of RL in workshop competitions before joining Wakefield Trinity in 1943. Primarily an off-half, he also occupied the centre, full back and wing berths with skill and credit to give valuable service to the Club. In '45/6 he scored 113 points in 11 weeks – a remarkable scoring run. Gained Yorkshire and England recognition. Dewsbury paid record fee for his transfer in 1950, after which he later joined Huddersfield before returning to Belle Vue as a committee member."
Genealogical information
Ron Rylance's marriage to Betty Reyner was registered during October→December 1948 in Wakefield district. They had children; Ronald Mike Rylance (birth registered October→December 1949 (age 67–68) in Wakefield district), a teacher of modern languages at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield, sports journalist and editor (Rugby Leaguer & League Express, and Rugby League World), and author, Yvonne Elizabeth Rylance (Fairclough), retired Deputy Head of Silcoates School, Wakefield, and chairman of Walton Parish Council (born (1952-08-26) 26 August 1952 in Dewsbury district), Fiona S. Rylance (Smith) (born (1959-03-25) 25 March 1959 in Wakefield district), and Louise Rylance (Higginbottom) (born (1964-12-22) 22 December 1964 in Northampton).