Rugby legend Don Fox dies
Rugby League legend Don Fox passed away this week aged 73. He may well be remembered for missing the kick in front of the sticks in the 1968 Challange cup final but the video above shows the role he played in the 1963 Great Britain victory over Australia in 1963. Read on for a tribute.
“Yorkshire-born rugby league legend with impressive record
Don Fox, one of the most prolific and consistent points-scorers in rugby league, who played for Featherstone Rovers, Wakefield Trinity and Great Britain, died on 21 August, 2008, aged 73.
He is Featherstone’s all-time top try-scorer with 162 and he stands third in their deadliest kickers list. He played for Rovers for 13 years before joining Wakefield for £3,500.
He made 117 appearances for Wakefield in the 1960s in which time he kicked 84 goals and scored 18 tries as part of one of the era’s dominant teams.
He was an incredibly versatile player who played predominantly at scrum-half but could fill in at various positions. Many felt he deserved more than his sole Great Britain cap. His long career was attributed to his sheer desire to continue playing rugby at the highest level.
Mr Fox was raised in the mining village of Sharlston in West Yorkshire. His brothers Peter and Neil also had distinguished rugby careers.
Although he was undoubtedly one of the greats, Mr Fox had the misfortune of being remembered by many for missing an easy kick in the 1968 Challenge Cup final.
The infamous match between Wakefield and their local rivals Leeds was played in torrential conditions at Wembley. When Wakefield scored a try in the dying minutes to put them within a point of victory, everyone expected Fox to make light work of the conversion from directly in front of the posts.
But tragically he lost his footing, sliced the kick and sent the ball wide, handing Leeds an unlikely win. Fox, who had already been awarded the man-of-the-match prize, sank to his knees in the mud and commentator Eddie Waring summed up his plight saying: “He’s a poor lad.”
Mr Fox died after a long illness at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield with his family by his bedside. He was survived by wife Mary, son Gregory, daughter-in-law Tracey and granddaughter Lauren.”
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