Arch Crippin
Encyclopedia
Arch Crippin was an Australian rugby league
footballer of the 1930s. A New South Wales interstate and Australian international representative winger, he played his whole club career with the North Sydney Bears
.
, Crippin moved to Sydney
where he attended St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill
for his last two years of school. He was a talented sportsman representing for Combined GPS in cricket, rugby union
and athletics.
Crippin was selected in the Kangaroos side to play Great Britain
in 1936. He played in all three Tests on the wing outside captain Dave Brown. He marked his arrival with a brilliant 60m try in the second Test but bad-luck struck in the dying stages of the third when an England kick-through bounced back over his head and into the arms of Barney Hudson
who scored the series-winning try.
He was selected to play for the 1937-38 Kangaroos but a shoulder dislocation that would sideline a modern-day player for a matter of weeks forced him into early retirement.
a militia unit, in New Guinea
during World War II
.
Living to the age of 92, Crippin held the mantle as Australia's oldest living Test player for many years prior to his death. He was honoured in 2006 to present the Australian team with their jumpers before the Anzac Test against New Zealand
. He had sixteen great-grandchildren at the time of his death.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1930s. A New South Wales interstate and Australian international representative winger, he played his whole club career with the North Sydney Bears
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
.
Early life and club career
Originally from Forbes, New South WalesForbes, New South Wales
-Notable residents:*Carolyn Simpson - Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales; Member of the first all-female bench to sit in an Australian court*NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt was born and raised in Forbes....
, Crippin moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
where he attended St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill
St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill
St Joseph's College is a Roman Catholic, Secondary, day and boarding school for boys. It is located in Hunters Hill, a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
for his last two years of school. He was a talented sportsman representing for Combined GPS in cricket, rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and athletics.
Representative honours
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
in 1936. He played in all three Tests on the wing outside captain Dave Brown. He marked his arrival with a brilliant 60m try in the second Test but bad-luck struck in the dying stages of the third when an England kick-through bounced back over his head and into the arms of Barney Hudson
Barney Hudson
Bernard "Barney" Hudson is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Salford, playing at , i.e. number 2 or 5...
who scored the series-winning try.
He was selected to play for the 1937-38 Kangaroos but a shoulder dislocation that would sideline a modern-day player for a matter of weeks forced him into early retirement.
War service and later life
Crippin served in the 35th Battalion35th Battalion (Australia)
The 35th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally raised in late 1915 for service during the First World War, the battalion saw service on the Western Front in France and Belgium before being disbanded in 1919. In 1921 it was re-raised in the Newcastle region of New...
a militia unit, in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Living to the age of 92, Crippin held the mantle as Australia's oldest living Test player for many years prior to his death. He was honoured in 2006 to present the Australian team with their jumpers before the Anzac Test against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. He had sixteen great-grandchildren at the time of his death.
Sources
- Middleton, David Rugby League Yearbook
- Whiticker, AlanAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
& Hudson, Glen (2006) The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney