Frank Castle (rugby league)

Frank Castle
Personal information
Bornc. 1924
Warwickshire, England
Died15 August 1999 (aged 75)
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Playing information
Rugby union
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≤1949–49 Coventry R.F.C.
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Warwickshire
Rugby league
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1948 Leigh 1 0 0 0 0
1949–60 Barrow 366 281 843
Total 367 281 0 0 843
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1951–53 England 5 6 0 0 18
1952–54 Great Britain 6 4 0 0 12
Source: [1][2]

Frank Castle (c. 1924 – 15 August 1999) was an English Olympic Games sprint trialist, rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Warwickshire, and at club level for Coventry R.F.C., and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Leigh[3][4] and Barrow, as a wing.[1] Castle was inducted in to the Barrow Hall of Fame in 2019.[5]

Playing career

Club career

Castle initially played rugby union for Coventry RFC before turning professional to play rugby league for Barrow in September 1949.[6] Prior to turning professional, he made one appearance for Leigh as a triallist.[7]

Castle played on the wing in Barrow's 0-10 defeat by Wigan in the 1950–51 Challenge Cup Final during the 1950–51 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 5 May 1951,[8] played on the wing and scored a try in the 21-12 victory over Workington Town in the 1954–55 Challenge Cup Final during the 1954–55 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 30 April 1955, in front of a crowd of 66,513, and played on the wing in the 7-9 defeat by Leeds in the 1956–57 Challenge Cup Final during the 1956–57 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 11 May 1957, in front of a crowd of 76,318.

Castle played on the wing in Barrow's 12-2 victory over Oldham in the 1954 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1954–55 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 23 October 1954.[9]

Castle is second in Barrow's all time try scorers list with 281-tries.[10]

International honours

Castle won caps for England while at Barrow in 1951 against France, in 1952 against Other Nationalities (2 matches), and Wales, in 1953 against Other Nationalities,[11] and won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow in 1952 against Australia (3 matches), and in 1954 against Australia.[12]

Castle also represented Great Britain while at Barrow between 1952 and 1956 against France (2 non-test matches).[13]

Personal life

After ending his playing career, Castle moved to Preston with his family. In his later years he lived with his daughter, Joyce, in Morpeth. He died on 15 August 1999 in Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, aged 75.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. ^ "Player Summary: Frank Castle". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  3. ^ "They Played For Leigh (Statistics) at leighrl.co.uk". leighrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Heritage Numbers at leighrl.co.uk". leighrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Barrow Raiders to honour seven club greats with Hall of Fame induction". The Mail. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Frank Castle Turns Professional and Joins Barrow". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 28 September 1949. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "King was the Castle". Evening Mail. 4 December 2008. p. 39 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "1950-1951 Challenge Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  9. ^ "Barrow make two finals in one year". nwemail.co.uk. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Barrows all time leading try scorers". barrowrlfc.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  11. ^ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  12. ^ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  13. ^ Edgar, Harry (2007). Rugby League Journal Annual 2008 Page-110. Rugby League Journal Publishing. ISBN 0-9548355-3-0
  14. ^ "Craven Park great Castle dies". Evening Mail. 17 August 1999. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
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