Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | David Watkinson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1954-11-19)19 November 1954 (age 70)[1] York, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Hooker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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David Watkinson (born 19 November 1954) is an English former professionalrugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level forGreat Britain,England andYorkshire, and at club level forHeworth,Hull Kingston Rovers andDewsbury as ahooker.[2]
Born inYork, Watkinson began playingrugby league at amateur clubHeworth. He was signed byHull Kingston Rovers in 1976, following a successful trial. He made his first team debut in a 25–9 win againstLeeds in January 1977.[5]
Watkinson playedhooker in Hull Kingston Rovers' 26–11 victory overSt. Helens in the1977 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the1977-78 season atCraven Park,Hull on Tuesday 13 December 1977.
Watkinson won his first league championship with the club in the1978–79 season.
Watkinson playedhooker in Hull Kingston Rovers' 10–5 victory overHull F.C. in the1979–80 Challenge Cup Final during the1979–80 season atWembley Stadium,London on Saturday 3 May 1980, in front of a crowd of 95,000.
He playedhooker in the 9–18 defeat byWidnes in the1980–81 Challenge Cup Final during the1980–81 season atWembley Stadium,London on Saturday 2 May 1981, in front of a crowd of 92,496.
Watkinson playedhooker in Hull Kingston Rovers' 4–12 defeat byHull F.C. in the1981–82 John Player Trophy Final during the1981–82 season atHeadingley,Leeds on Saturday 23 January 1982.
Watkinson was sent off playing for Hull Kingston Rovers against the1982 Australian Tourists in October 1982.
In the1983–84 Rugby Football League season, Watkinson won his second league championship with the club, and played in the famous 8-6 victory over Queenslandas they toured Papua New Guinea and England in October 1983, but missed out on the second half of the season due an injury sustained while playing for Great Britain.
In the1984–85 season, Watkinson won his third league championship with the club (this time as captain). He also playedhooker in Hull Kingston Rovers' 12–29 defeat byHull F.C. in the1984–85 Yorkshire Cup Final atBoothferry Park,Kingston upon Hull, on Saturday 27 October 1984, and playedhooker and captainedHull Kingston Rovers in their 12–0 victory overHull F.C. in the1984–85 John Player Special Trophy Final atBoothferry Park,Kingston upon Hull on Saturday 26 January 1985.
During the1985-86 season, Watkinson playedhooker and captained Hull Kingston Rovers in the 22–18 victory overCastleford in the1985–86 Yorkshire Cup Final atHeadingley,Leeds, on Sunday 27 October 1985, and playedhooker and was captain in the 14–15 defeat byCastleford in the1985-86 Challenge Cup Final atWembley Stadium,London, on Saturday 3 May 1986, in front of a crowd of 82,134. He also playedhooker and captainedHull Kingston Rovers in the 8–11 defeat byWigan in the1985–86 John Player Special Trophy Final during the1985–86 season atElland Road,Leeds on Saturday 11 January 1986.[6]
David Watkinson'sTestimonial match at Hull Kingston Rovers took place in 1988.[citation needed]
He made his final appearance for Hull Kingston Rovers in March 1989 in a 2–26 defeat againstHull.[5]
In September 1989, Watkinson joinedDewsbury on a free transfer,[7] where he finished his career.
Watkinson played twice forYorkshire. He debuted in September 1980 againstLancashire,[8] and also played against Lancashire in their 26–10 victory in the 1985War Of The Roses fixture.
Watkinson won onecap forEngland while at Hull Kingston Rovers in 1979, appearing as a substitute againstWales in the1979 European Championship.[9]
Watkinson was selected byGreat Britain for the 1979 Lions tour, and won his first cap againstAustralia in the secondAshes Test. In January 1984, he suffered a broken leg while playing for Great Britain againstFrance, ruling him out of selection for the Lions tour later that year. He was capped 13 times for Great Britain between 1979 and 1986, scoring his only try for the team in a 50–4 win against France in March 1985.[10] Watkinson was appointedGreat Britain captain for the 1986Ashes Series vAustralia
