Former Australian rugby league captain Arthur Summons dies

Former Australian rugby league captain Arthur Summons, who is immortalized on the National Rugby League trophy, has died. He was 84.

The Australian Rugby League Commission said Sunday that Summons, who had undergone cancer surgery in 2018, died at his home on Saturday.

Summons was first photographed with Norm Provan after the 1963 New South Wales Rugby League grand final at the Sydney Cricket Ground, one of Australia's most famous photographs.

The NRL trophy, which is a three-dimensional cast of the same photo showing Summons embracing the much taller Provan and both covered in mud, was renamed the Provan-Summons Trophy on the 50th anniversary of the match in 2013.

 

Provan played for St. George, which beat Summons' Western Suburbs 8-3 in the final.

Summons led Australia in five unbeaten test matches, played five seasons for Wests and was in the first Australian side to tour Britain, making nine appearances for the Kangaroos between 1961-63.

He was also a former rugby union player who played 10 tests for the Wallabies. He is listed as one of the best 100 rugby league players of the last century.

"Arthur epitomized everything that rugby league stands for he was a talented player, a fierce competitor, a wonderful character and extremely popular with everyone," said ARLC chairman Peter V'landys.

"Arthur's memory and legacy will live on in bronze for all of us to celebrate.