Bobby Wanbon

Robert Wanbon (16 November 1943 – 8 November 2022) was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Wales, and at club level for Aberavon RFC, as a number eight,[2][3] and representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales, and at club level for St. Helens and Warrington, as a prop, or second-row, i.e. number 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums.[4][5]

Bobby Wanbon
Personal information
Full nameRobert Wanbon
Born(1943-11-16)16 November 1943
Port Talbot, Wales
Died8 November 2022(2022-11-08) (aged 78)
Tenerife, Spain
Playing information
Rugby union
PositionNumber eight
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Aberavon RFC
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1968 Wales 1 1 0 0 3
Rugby league
PositionProp, Second-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1968–71 St Helens 79+16 18 0 0 54
1971–78 Warrington 148+15 22 0 0 66
Total 258 40 0 0 120
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1968–75 Wales 8 0 0 0 0
Source: [1][2][3][4]

Background

Wanbon was born in Port Talbot, Wales.

Playing career

International honours

Wanbon won a cap for Wales (RU) while at Aberavon in 1968 against England on Saturday 20 January 1968, scoring a try.

He was one of four Aberavon RFC players in the Welsh team that day, the others were Billy Mainwaring, Maxwell Lloyd Wiltshire and Paul James Wheeler.

He won caps for Wales (RL) while at Warrington in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup against England, Australia, and New Zealand.[4]

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Wanbon played right-prop, i.e. number 10, in Warrington's 24-9 victory over Featherstone Rovers in the 1974 Challenge Cup Final during the 1973–74 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 11 May 1974, in front of a crowd of 77,400, and played right-prop in the 7-14 defeat by Widnes in the 1975 Challenge Cup Final during the 1974–75 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 10 May 1975, in front of a crowd of 85,998.

BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final appearances

Wanbon did not play (Dave Wright or Gilly Wright played right-prop) in Warrington's 0-0 draw with Salford in the 1974 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1974–75 season at The Willows, Salford on Tuesday 17 December 1974, and played right-prop, i.e. number 10, in the 5-10 defeat by Salford in the 1974 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final replay during the 1974–75 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Tuesday 28 January 1975.

Player's No.6 Trophy Final appearances

Wanbon played right-second-row, i.e. number 12, in Warrington's 27-16 victory over Rochdale Hornets in the 1973–74 Player's No.6 Trophy Final during the 1973–74 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 9 February 1974.

Captain Morgan Trophy Final appearances

Wanbon played left-second-row, i.e. number 11, in Warrington's 4-0 victory over Featherstone Rovers in the 1973–74 Captain Morgan Trophy Final during the 1973–74 season at The Willows, Salford on Saturday 26 January 1974, in front of a crowd of 5,259.

Club career

Wanbon signed for St. Helens (RL) from Aberavon (RU) nine-days after appearing for Wales (RU) against England (RU), for a signing-on fee of £4500 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £124,400 in 2013).[6]

Death

Bobby Wanbon died on 8 November 2022 in Tenerife, Spain.

References
  1. "Bobby Wanbon". Saints Heritage Society. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  2. "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". espn.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "Statistics at wru.co.uk (RU)". wru.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  6. "Measuring Worth - Relative Value of UK Pounds". Measuring Worth. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
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