Name Russell Pepperell | Positions Fullback, Stand-off | |
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Died January 15, 2003, Bundaberg, Australia | ||
George Russell "Russ" Pepperell (born 23 April 1918 in Seaton district, Cumberland — died 15 January 2003(2003-01-15) (aged 84) in Bundaberg, Australia) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, and coached in the 1950s, and 1960s. He played at representative level for England, and Cumberland, and at club level for Seaton, and Huddersfield all over the back-line. Pepperell later coached Huddersfield and Keighley before moving to Sydney join the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
Pepperell was the middle brother of the rugby league footballers Stanley Pepperell, and Albert Pepperell. He started playing professionally for Huddersfield in 1938.
Pepperell was a Lance Corporal in the British Army during World War II. He was a reserve for Northern Command XIII against a Rugby League XIII at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 21 March 1942.
Pepperell represented Cumberland and also won caps for England while at Huddersfield in 1947 against France, and Wales, in 1948 against Wales, and in 1949 against France.
Pepperell played at stand-off half back in Huddersfield's 2-20 defeat by Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1949–50 season at Maine Road, Manchester on Saturday 13 May 1950. Pepperell's Testimonial match at Huddersfield took place in 1950.
Russell Pepperell played right-centre, i.e. number 3, in Huddersfield's 15-10 victory over St. Helens in the 1953 Challenge Cup Final during the 1952–53 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 25 April 1953, in front of a crowd of 89,588.
Pepperell played stand-off/five-eighth in Huddersfield's 4-11 defeat by Bradford Northern in the 1949 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1949–50 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1949, played, and scored 2-tries in the 16-3 victory over Castleford in the 1950 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1950–51 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 4 November 1950, and played stand-off/five-eighth in the 18-8 victory over Batley in the 1952 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1952–53 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 15 November 1952.
After he finished playing, Pepperell became Huddersfield's coach. He later moved to Australia as coach if Sydney's Manly-Warringah club for the 1964 NSWRFL season. He remained in the position for one more season. Pepperell stayed in Australia and died in Queensland in 2003.