Viv Farnsworth

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Viv Farnsworth
fullname = Viv Farnsworth


caption =
country =
position = Centre
currentclub =
dateofbirth = 1891
placeofbirth =
countryofbirth =
dateofdeath = 1953
countryofdeath =
height =
weight =
club1 = Newtown Bluebags
year1start = 1910
year1end = 1919
appearances1 = 33
tries1 = 23
goals1 =
fieldgoals1 =
points1 = 69
club2 = Oldham Roughyeds
year2start = 1912
year2end = 1917
appearances2 =
tries2 =
goals2 =
fieldgoals2 =
points2 =
club3 = Wests Magpies
year3start = 1920
year3end = 1921
appearances3 = 12
tries3 = 6
goals3 =
fieldgoals3 =
points3 = 18
teamA = New South Wales
yearAstart = 1910
yearAend = 1919
appearancesA = 9
triesA = 2
goalsA =
fieldgoalsA =
pointsA = 6
teamB = Australia
yearBstart = 1911
yearBend = 1920
appearancesB = 6
triesB = 4
goalsB =
fieldgoalsB =
pointsB = 12
updated =
source =
new = yes

Viv Farnsworth (1891–1953) was an Australian professional rugby league player for Newtown, Wests, New South Wales and Australia. He primarily played in the centres is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century [ [http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players Century's Top 100 Players] ]

Biography

Playing career

As a youth, Farnsworth played for Petersham Rugby Club in inner-western Sydney but he switched codes in 1909 and played for Newtown from 1910. He was regarded as an outstanding centre and, alongside his brother, Bill, was selected for New South Wales in 1910. Farnsworth was a member of the 1910 premiership winning Newtown team in the try-less final against Souths.

In the same year, the brothers made their international debut against the touring British Lions and were both selected for the 'Australasian' Kangaroo tour of Britain in 1911–1912. They were the first set of brothers to play rugby league for Australia.

Viv Farnsworth made his test debut in the first test against England on 8 November, 1911 and scored two tries. He scored a total of 19 tries on tour (from 29 matches), one less than Herb Gilbert. The combination of Gilbert and Farnsworth was a feature of the successful tour.

After touring New Zealand with New South Wales in 1912, Farnsworth headed back to England and joined the Oldham club. He was still in England at the out-break of the Great War and he subsequently enlisted with a Lancashire regiment.

After the war, Farnsworth re-joined Sydney club Newtown in 1919 but by 1920 he had moved to Wests where he played for two seasons.

Farnsworth participated in the Ashes-winning series of 1920, again proving a formidable combination with Herb Gilbert in the second test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Although the score was even at 8–all at half-time, tries to Australia's three-quarter line of Dick Vest, Farnsworth, Gilbert and Harold Horder secured the Ashes.

An injury in the third test of the series eventually ended Farnsworth's playing career. He died in 1953.

Accolades

In February 2008, he was named in the list of Australia's "100 Greatest Players" (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the Australian Rugby League and the National Rugby League to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. [cite web|publisher="NRL & ARL"|title=Centenary of Rugby League - The Players|url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true |accessdate=2008-02-23|date=2008-02-23]

References

* cite book | author=Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson |title=The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players |pages=page 153|year=2007
publisher="Gary Allen Pty Ltd" |location=Wetherill Park, New South Wales |isbn=9781877082931
* cite book | author=Malcolm Andrews |title=ABC of Rugby League |pages=page 147|year=1992
publisher="ABC Enterprises" |location=Sydney, New South Wales
isbn=0733301762
*

Footnotes