Charles James
James during World War I
Personal information
Full nameCharles Daniel James
Born(1891-04-10)10 April 1891
Died6 August 1917(1917-08-06) (aged 26)
France
Playing information
PositionWing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1909 Hornets 2
1910–12 Kaitoa/Albion 19 3 9
Total 21 3 0 0 9
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1910–12 Nelson Trial Team 3
1910 New Zealand 1 0 0 0 0
1910–12 Nelson 6 2 2 0 10
Source: [1]

Charles Daniel James (10 April 1891 – 6 August 1917) was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s. He played at representative level for New Zealand (Heritage № 45), and Nelson, as a Wing, or Centre, i.e. number 2 or 5, or, 3 or 4.[2][3][4]

Playing career

Kaitoa/Albion club, and Nelson representative side

In 1909 James played 2 matches for the Hornets rugby league team. Then in 1910 he joined the Kaitoa club and played 10 matches, all against the St Mary's Catholic Club. He scored 2 tries in a May 28 game against Alhambra and another in a July 23 match against the same opponents. It is likely he scored a good deal more than this during his seasons with them though the local newspapers rarely wrote detailed match reports. His form was good enough to gain him selection for the NZ team. Later in the season he played in 2 trial matches for the Nelson side which he was subsequently selected for. Nelson then played a match against the touring Auckland side. He scored 2 tries and kicked 2 conversions in their 24-13 loss at Trafalgar Park.[5]

In 1911 the Kaitoa club changed their name to Albion. He played 8 matches for them during the season again against St Mary's. He played in a Nelson trial match to gain selection for their Northern tour. He played in all 3 matches against Auckland at Victoria Park, Taranaki at Eltham, and Wanganui at Cooks Gardens.[6]

1912 appears to be the last season that James played rugby league. He played a match for Nelson against the touring Wanganui side on April 7 followed by another match for Nelson against Wellington on June 8. Then he appeared in a club match for Albion against St Mary's with there being no further mention of him playing in any of the local Nelson newspapers. With the outbreak of war rugby league was no longer played in the Nelson area for many years.

International honours

James won a cap for New Zealand during the 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, playing left-Wing in the 20-52 defeat by Great Britain at the Domain Cricket Ground, Auckland on Saturday 30 July 1910.[1] He was said to have played well and his pass set up New Zealand's first try. He was said by one of the non playing English players to have been the best New Zealand back alongside Ernie Buckland of Taranaki.[7]

Later years

James served with the 1st Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade during World War I and was killed in France on 6 August 1917.[8][9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "Roll of Honour at nzrl.co.nz". nzrl.co.nz. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "Past Kiwis → J at nzrl.co.nz". nzrl.co.nz. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. ↑ "Profile at nzleague.co.nz". nzleague.co.nz. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "Auckland v Nelson". Vol. XLV, no. XLV. Nelson Evening Mail. 1910-10-06. p. 6. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  6. ↑ "Auckland Win Again/Victory Over Nelson". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. XLVIII, no. 147680. 1911-08-28. p. 9. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
  7. ↑ "Britain V New Zealand/The Match at Auckland". Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV. 1910-08-03. p. 6. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  8. ↑ John Coffey and Bernie Wood, The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League, Hodder Moa, Auckland, 2007, p. 39.
  9. ↑ "James, Charles Daniel". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
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