David Topliss

David Topliss

Personal information
Full name	David Topliss
Nickname	Toppo
Born	29 December 1949(1949-12-29) Wakefield, Yorkshire, England
Died	16 June 2008(2008-06-16) (aged 58) Crofton, England
Playing information
Position	Stand-off/Five-eighth
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1968–81	Wakefield Trinity
1976	Penrith Panthers	12	0	0	0	0
1977	Balmain Tigers	18	10	0	1	31
1981–85	Hull
1985–87	Oldham	49	9			36
	Total	79	19	0	1	67
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1973	Yorkshire
1975–1975	England	2
1973–1982	Great Britain	4
Coaching information
Club
Years	Team	Gms	W	D	L	W%
1987–1994	Wakefield Trinity

David Topliss (29 December 1949 – 16 June 2008) was an English Rugby League World Cup winning footballer and coach. He played and coached with Wakefield Trinity in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

His playing career started at Normanton Juniors ARLFC before spending 13 years with Wakefield from 1968–81 and won the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match in the 1979 Challenge Cup final even though he was on the losing side.

He joined Hull at age 31 for a fee of £15,000. He captained them to six finals in his four years at the club most famously when they won the Challenge Cup in 1982.[1] He was captain of Hull during the 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, and 1984–85 seasons.^[1]

Topliss played in the summer in Australia for Penrith Panthers (1976) and Balmain Tigers (1977).

International honours

David Topliss won caps for England while at Wakefield Trinity in 1975 against France, Australia (sub), and won caps for Great Britain while at Wakefield Trinity in 1973 against Australia (2 matches), in 1979 against Australia, and while at Hull in 1982 against Australia.

David Topliss was selected for Great Britain Squad while at Wakefield Trinity for the 1972 Rugby League World Cup in France. However, David Topliss did not participate in any of the four matches.

He went on the 1973 and 1979 Ashes tours of Australia, playing twice on the 1973 tour, and once on the 1979 tour, and whilst at Hull he captained Great Britain against the Kangaroos in 1982.^[2]

David Topliss played Stand-off/Five-eighth, i.e. number 6 in Great Britain’s 7-8 defeat to France in the friendly at Stadio Pierluigi Penzo, Venice on 31 July 1982.

He left Hull in 1985 and finished his playing career with Oldham (1985–87). During his time at the side he became synonymous with local supporters, earning the chant and slogan 'Go Topliss!'. At one game against Wrexham Topliss decided to remove his rugby shirt playfully in response to the chant, which resulted in him being banned from the game for 1 year

Challenge Cup final appearances

David Topliss played Stand-off/Five-eighth, i.e. number 6, was captain, and won the Lance Todd Trophy in Wakefield Trinity’s 3-12 defeat to Widnes in the 1978–79 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium on 5 May 1979.^[3]

Testimonial match

David Topliss' Testimonial match at Wakefield Trinity took place in 1980.

Coaching career

Topliss coached Wakefield Trinity from 1987–94 and also had a spell in charge of Great Britain under-21s in 1989. In his first season with Trinity, he guided them to promotion back into the old First Division, retiring as a player after the final match of the season. He remained at Wakefield as coach until 1994 when he stepped down to concentrate on his business.[2]

Honoured by Arriva Yorkshire

Arriva Yorkshire honoured 13 rugby league footballers on Thursday 20 August 2009, at a ceremony at The Jungle, the home of the Castleford Tigers. A fleet of new buses were named after the 'Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team'. Members of the public nominated the best ever rugby league footballers to have played in West Yorkshire, supported by local rugby league journalists; James Deighton from BBC Leeds, and Tim Butcher, editor of Rugby League World. The 'Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team' is; Trevor Foster MBE, Neil Fox MBE, Albert Goldthorpe, Alan Hardisty, Stan Kielty, Lewis Jones, Roger Millward MBE, Malcolm Reilly, Garry Schofield, Keith Senior, David Topliss, Dave Valentine, and Adrian Vowles.^[4]

Personal details

He died on 16 June 2008 after suffering a heart attack during a five-a-side football game at Crofton Community Centre, in Crofton near Wakefield.^[5]

References

1. ^ "Coaches and Captains". hullfc.com. 2010-12-31. http://www.hullfc.com/page.aspx?p=998/. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
2. ^ "David Topliss". Lastingtribute.co.uk. http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/topliss/2837184. 
3. ^ Hoole, Les (2004). Wakefield Trinity RLFC - FIFTY GREAT GAMES. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-429-9
4. ^ "Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team". Arriva Yorkshire. 2009-08-20. http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/content.aspx?id=7044. Retrieved 2009-08-20. 
5. ^ "Rugby league star Topliss mourned". BBC. 2008-06-16. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7458179.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-17. 

External links

• International Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
• Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
• David Topliss Funeral
• David Topliss: Tributes to a legend
• SADLY MISSED: David Topliss
• David Topliss - Obituary
• David Topliss at yesterdayshero.com.au
• Waite makes his Australia debut
• David Topliss interview at wakefieldwildcats.co.uk
• David Topliss RIP

Persondata
Name	Topliss, David
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	29 December 1949
Place of birth	Wakefield, Yorkshire
Date of death	16 June 2008
Place of death	Crofton