Peter Murphy (rugby league)


Peter Murphy is a Scottish-born former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at club level for South Newington ARLFC, Hull Kingston Rovers, Wakefield Trinity , Dee Street Recreation ARLFC and Castleford, as a or more usually as a or, i.e. number 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums.

Background

Peter Murphy was born in Oban, Scotland, where his grandfather was the captain of a minesweeper in the Royal Navy, he is avid supporter of Hull Kingston Rovers, as of 2020 he is a member of the Hull Kingston Rovers Heritage Committee, and as of 2020 he lives in Kingston upon Hull.

Playing career

Eastern Division Championship Final appearances

Peter Murphy played right-, i.e. number 12, in Hull Kingston Rovers' 13–10 victory over Huddersfield in the Eastern Division Championship Final during the 1962–63 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 10 November 1962.

Club career

Peter Murphy changed from amateur to professional rugby league when he transferred from South Newington ARLFC to the Hull Kingston Rovers during August 1959, he played approximately 240-matches for the Hull Kingston Rovers' A-Team, with whom he won a Yorkshire Senior Cup final, he played for Hull Kingston Rovers' against Hull F.C. in 3 exhibition games on three consecutive evenings that aimed to introduce rugby league in Cornwall; the 26–57 defeat at Mennaye Field, Penzance on Monday 4 June 1962, the 26–38 defeat at the Recreation Ground, Camborne on Tuesday 5 June 1962 and the defeat at the Recreation Ground, Falmouth on Wednesday 6 June 1962, he played nearly all of Hull Kingston Rovers' first team matches during the 1962–63 season, the first fourteen of which were won, he did not play in the 2–12 defeat by Hunslet F.C. in the 1962–63 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1962–63 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 27 October 1962, in front of a crowd of 22,742, he played in the 10–7 victory over Widnes in the 1962–63 Challenge Cup quarter-final match at Naughton Park, Widnes on Saturday 6 April 1963, he played in the 4–18 defeat Wigan in the 1962–63 Challenge Cup semi-final match on Saturday 20 April 1963, he sustained a broken leg on four occasions while at Hull Kingston Rovers, he played on trial from the Hull Kingston Rovers at Wakefield Trinity, he made his début for Wakefield Trinity during September 1964, he sustained broken ribs against the Featherstone Rovers at Belle Vue, Wakefield, he played his last match for Wakefield Trinity during the 1964–65 season, he returned from trial at Wakefield Trinity to the Hull Kingston Rovers, he regained his first team place at Hull Kingston Rovers, he changed from professional to amateur rugby league when he transferred from Hull Kingston Rovers to Dee Street Recreation ARLFC, he was offered a trial at Castleford, he sustained a broken hand in an A-Team trial match, and he returned from trial at Castleford to Dee Street Recreation ARLFC.