Ian Smales

Ian Smales
Personal information
Full name	Ian Smales
Born	26 September 1968 (age 56)
Playing information
Position	Wing, Centre, Stand-off, Second-row, Loose forward
Club
Representative
	Source: rugbyleagueproject.org

Ian Smales ( (1968-09-26) 26 September 1968 (age 56)) is an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, and 1990s, playing at representative level for Great Britain (non-Test matches), and Yorkshire, and at club level for Lock Lane ARLFC [1], Featherstone Rovers, Castleford Tigers, and Hunslet Hawks, as a wing, Centre, Stand-off/Five-eighth, Second-row, or loose forward/lock, i.e. number 2 or 5, 3 or 4, 6, 11 or 12, or 13.

Playing career

International honours

Ian Smales was selected for Great Britain while at Featherstone Rovers for the 1990 Great Britain Lions tour, he played left-second-row, i.e number 11, in Great Britain's 22-10 victory over Kiwi Colts at Addington Showgrounds, Christchurch on Wednesday 13 June 1990, played right-second-row, i.e number 12, in the 10-18 defeat by Canterbury at Davies Park, Huntly on Wednesday 20 June 1990, played left-second-row, i.e number 11, in the 20-32 defeat by Wellington at Porirua Park, Porirua on Wednesday 27 June 1990, and played hooker in the 24-0 victory over Taranaki at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth on Wednesday 4 July 1990.

County honours

Ian Smales won a cap for Yorkshire while at Featherstone Rovers; during the 1991–92 season against Lancashire.

Division Two Premiership Final appearances

Ian Smales played right-second-row, i.e. number 12, in Featherstone Rovers' 20-16 victory over Workington Town in the Division Two Premiership Final during the 1992–93 season at Old Trafford, Manchester on Wednesday 19 May 1993.^[1]

County Cup Final appearances

Ian Smales played stand-off/five-eighth, in Featherstone Rovers' 14-20 defeat by Bradford Northern in the 1989 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1989–90 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Sunday 5 November 1989.

Regal Trophy Final appearances

Ian Smales played right-second-row, i.e. number 12, in Castleford Tigers' 33-2 victory over Wigan in the 1993–94 Regal Trophy Final during the 1993–94 at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 22 January 1994.^[2]

Contemporaneous Article Extract

"Ian Smales Utility player. An English Schools international at loose-forward, Smales signed for Featherstone Rovers from Lock Lane amateurs in April 1987. Can play centre, wing, stand-off and in the back row of the pack, and this versatility earned him a place in the 1990 Lions touring team to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand." ^[3]

Outside of Rugby League

Ian Smales still attends Featherstone Rovers games, and now works as a Sport & Active Lifestyles’ Health & Fitness Officer, for Wakefield District Council. He has a wife called Keely Smales, a daughter Alice Smales and a son Eli Smales.

Genealogical Information

Ian Smales is the son of the rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, and 1960s, and coached in the 1970s, and 1980s; Tommy Smales.

References

^ "Rovers Dig Deep To Lift The 1993 RL Premiership". Great Players - Great Games. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
^ "Wigan 2 - 33 Castleford". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
^ Merlin (1 August 1991). The Official Rugby league Collection (Card 36 of 160). Merlin. ISBN n/a

External links

[Rovers_Dig_Deep_To_Lift_The_1993_RL_Premiership-1] "Rovers Dig Deep To Lift The 1993 RL Premiership". Great Players - Great Games. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.

[Wigan_2_-_33_Castleford-2] "Wigan 2 - 33 Castleford". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.

[3] Merlin (1 August 1991). The Official Rugby league Collection (Card 36 of 160). Merlin. ISBN n/a

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