Ken English, New Zealand rugby league player, Died at 89

  Dead Famous

Kenneth “Ken” Hamilton English was born on January 9, 1927, and died on February 24, 2016.

He was a New Zealand rugby league footballer.

He was mostly known in the 1950s, playing at representative level for New Zealand (#328), and Wellington, as a prop, i.e. number 8 or 10, during the era of contested scrums.

He switched codes from rugby union in the later 1940s, led him to join the St. George club in the Wellington Rugby League.

Ken was part of the Wellington side that defeated the West Coast 11–4 to win the Northern Union Cup for the first time, in 1947.

In 1949, English was part of the Southern Provinces team that held the touring Australian side to 17–15.

Following his glorious trial, Ken made his New Zealand Kiwis debut against the 1951 touring French side.

Along with his teammate Johnny Dodd, English was selected on the 1951-1952 tour of Great Britain and France.

Ken has played in 14 games on the tour, scoring three tries, but never played another test match.