Jim Mills (rugby league)
Jim Mills (born 29 September 1944 in Aberdare) is a Welsh former rugby league footballer of the 1960s and '70s. A Great Britain and Wales international representative prop forward, "Big Jim" as he was known played club football in England with Halifax, Salford, Bradford Northern, Widnes and Workington Town and also in Australia for North Sydney. His son, David Mills became a prop forward for Widnes as well, playing in Super League.
Mills originally played rugby union club football in Wales with Cardiff RFC before turning professional and playing in England.
After a strong display in Wales' win against England in the 1975 World Series in Brisbane, Sydney's Manly-Warringah and Canterbury-Bankstown clubs were keen to get the prop's signature.[1] Mills was banned for the rest of the season after stomping on John Greengrass's head in the 25-24 win over New Zealand at Swansea in the same tournament. The ban was eventually lifted on 2 January 1976 however Mills remained banned for life by the New Zealand Rugby League.[2][3]
Jim Mills was also one of the original thirteen former Widnes players inducted into the Widnes Hall of Fame in 1992. That year he also worked as team manager for the Wales national team.
[edit] International honours
Jim Mills won caps for Wales (RL) while at Bradford Northern, and Widnes 1969…1979 (14?)17-caps 3-tries 9-points, and won caps for Great Britain (RL) in 1974 against Australia (2 matches), and New Zealand, in 1978 against Australia, and in 1979 against Australia.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Clarkson, Alan (1975-06-13). "Canterbury's bid for Mills". The Sydney Morning Herald: pp. 13. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QxcRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ROcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1485,2669283. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
- ^ Mills granted the stamp of forgiveness by Kiwi Greengrass after 33 years The Daily Mail, 20 June 2008
- ^ Tears and handshake for league thuggery 33 years ago The Press, 29 June 2008
- ^ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject. 2008-12-31. http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Jim_Mills/summary.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
[edit] External links
- Statistics at rugby.widnes.tv
- Hall Of Fame at rugby.widnes.tv
- Jim Mills at eraofthebiff.com
- Jim Mills at yesterdayshero.com.au
- Jim Mills at stats.rleague.com
- Jim Mills at rugbyleagueproject.org
- Welsh convert XIII
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- 1944 births
- Bradford Bulls players
- Cardiff RFC players
- Footballers who switched code
- Great Britain national rugby league team players
- Halifax RLFC players
- Living people
- North Sydney Bears players
- Other Nationalities rugby league team players
- People from Aberdare
- Rugby league props
- Salford City Reds players
- Wales national rugby league team players
- Welsh rugby league players
- Welsh rugby union players
- Widnes Vikings players
- Workington Town players
