George Watson (rugby)

Infobox Rugby biography
name = George Watson


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birthname = George Watson
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dateofbirth = 6 January 1885
placeofbirth = Brisbane, Queensland
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ru_position = Winger
ru_amateuryears = 19xx-1907
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ru_nationalteam = Australia
ru_nationalyears = 1907
ru_nationalcaps = 1 Test
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rl_position = Centre
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rl_nationalteam = Australia
rl_nationalyears = 1908
rl_nationalcaps = 1
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George W Watson (1885 - 1961) was a pioneer Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer and was one of the first Australian dual code rugby international representatives. He was also one of the pioneer Queensland executives for the new code in 1908.

Watson represented for the Wallabies as a winger in the 1907 Test against the touring All Blacks in a team captained by Peter Burge.

A foundation player at the establishment of the professional code in Sydney in 1908 he played one game only for the Kangaroos, the 2nd Test against New Zealand in Brisbane in May 1908. This was the 2nd international rugby league appearance by an Australian side. Watson played that day at in the centres outside of the legendary Dally Messenger.

Five former Wallabies had debuted for the Kangaroos in the inaugural Test three weeks earlier, Watson's league Test debut that day with Bill Hardcastle made them the 6th and 7th Australian dual code internationals.

References

* Andrews, Malcolm (2006) "The ABC of Rugby League", Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney
* Whiticker, Alan (2004) "Captaining the Kangaroos", New Holland, Sydney
* [http://www.qrl.com.au/qrl_history/qld_rep_w.php Queensland representatives at qrl.com.au]