List of dual-code rugby internationals
A dual-code rugby international is a rugby footballer who has played at the senior international level in both codes of rugby, 13-a-side rugby league and 15-a-side rugby union.
Rugby league started as a breakaway version of rugby in Northern England in 1895 and in New Zealand and Australia in 1908, and consequently a number of early top-class rugby league players had been star players in the rugby union code. Accordingly, a high proportion of Australia and New Zealand's dual-code rugby internationals played in rugby league's formative years in those countries.
From 1910 to 1995, dual-code internationals were infrequent and with the single exception of Karl Ifwersen, the player had always first appeared as a union international before shifting to league, due to strict bans applied by administrators in rugby union, which remained amateur, to those players who crossed to the professional code. In 1995 rugby union itself turned professional and the tide of switches began to reverse. Since then the vast majority of cross-code representatives have debuted internationally in league before moving to union where there is now a larger audience and more money available.
Backs have more often been successful at the highest level of both games than forwards — approximately 65% of the players here listed are backs, although pre-1995 many notable forwards moved from union to league. Since 1995 nearly 90% of the league to union converts who went on to play internationally have been backs.
The following is an incomplete list of dual-code internationals, listed by country.
Australia
England
Fiji
France
Hong Kong
Qualifying on residency, New Zealand-born Jack Nielsen became Hong Kong's first dual-code international when the Hong Kong rugby league team played their first ever international match in November 2017.No. | Player | Int'l Debut | Year | At | Cross Code Debut | Date | At | Position |
1 | Jack Nielsen | RU Test v ? | ? | ? | RL Test v Japan | 4 Nov 2017 | Kowloon | Prop |
Ireland
Italy
Germany
Malta
New Zealand
There have been 33 New Zealand dual-code internationals, including 18 who made their debuts before World War One. Only two people became dual-code internationals after first representing New Zealand in rugby league: Karl Ifwersen and Sonny Bill Williams.No. | Player | Test debut | Year | At | Cross-code debut | Date | At | Position |
1. | Thomas Cross | RU Test v British Lions | 1904 | Wellington | RL Test All Golds v Wales | 1 Jan 1908 | Aberdare | Forward |
2. | Edgar Wrigley | RU Test v Australia | 1905 | Dunedin | RL Test All Golds v Wales | 1 Jan 1908 | Aberdare | Five-eighth |
3. | Herbert Turtill | RU Test v Australia | 1905 | Dunedin | RL Test All Golds v Wales | 1 Jan 1908 | Aberdare | Fullback |
4. | Massa Johnston | RU Test Originals tour match | 1905 | Britain | RL Test All Golds v Wales | 1 Jan 1908 | Aberdare | Forward |
5. | William Mackrell | RU Test v France | 1906 | Paris | RL Test All Golds v Wales | 1 Jan 1908 | Aberdare | Forward |
6. | George Smith | RU Test v Scotland | 1905 | Edinburgh | RL Test All Golds v Northern Union | 25 Jan 1908 | Headingley | Centre |
7. | Duncan McGregor | RU Test v Australia | 1903 | Sydney | RL All Golds tour | 1908 | Britain & Aust | Wing |
8. | Eric Watkins | RU Test v Australia | 1905 | Dunedin | RL All Golds tour | 1908 | Britain & Aust | Forward |
9. | John Spencer | RU Test v Australia | 1905 | Dunedin | RL 1st Test v Australia | 12 Jun 1909 | Sydney | Forward |
11. | Albert Asher | RU Test v Australia | 1903 | Sydney | RL Int'l Australasia v GB | 9 Jul 1910 | Sydney | Winger |
12. | Ned Hughes | RU Test v Australia | 1907 | Sydney | RL Test v Great Britain | 30 Jul 1910 | Auckland | Hooker |
13. | George A. Gillett | RU Test v Scotland | 1905 | Edinburgh | RL Kiwis tour match | 1911 | Australia | Fullback |
14. | Billy Mitchell | RU Test v Australia | 1910 | Sydney | RL Kiwis tour match | 1911 | Australia | Wing |
15. | Arthur Francis | RU Test v Australia | 1905 | Dunedin | RL Kiwis tour match | 1911 | Australia | Forward |
16. | Harold Hayward | RU Test v British Lions | 1908 | Auckland | RL Kiwis tour match | 1912 | Australia | Flanker |
17. | Dave Evans | RU Test v Australia | 1910 | Sydney | RL Kiwis tour match | 1912 | Australia | Flanker |
19. | Dougie McGregor | RU Test v Australia | 1913 | Wellington | RL 3rd Test v Australia | 6 Sep 1919 | Auckland | Winger |
20. | Karl Ifwersen | RL Test v Australia | 1913 | Auckland | RU Test v South Africa | 17 Sep 1921 | Wellington | 2nd 5/8 |
21. | Jim O'Brien | RU international v New South Wales | 1922 | Sydney | RL 1st Test v Great Britain | 2 Aug 1924 | Wellington | Forward |
22. | Charles Fitzgerald | RU international v New South Wales | 1922 | Sydney | RL 1st Test v Great Britain | 2 Aug 1924 | Wellington | Centre |
23. | Lou Petersen | RU international v New South Wales | 1921 | Christchurch | RL 2nd Test v Great Britain | 6 Aug 1924 | Wellington | Forward |
24. | Alphonsus Carroll | RU international v New South Wales | 1920 | Sydney | RL 1st Test v Great Britain | 2 Oct 1926 | Wigan | Hooker |
25. | Bert Cooke | RU international v New South Wales | 1924 | Sydney | RL 1st Test v Great Britain | 30 Jul 1932 | Auckland | Centre |
26. | Herb Lilburne | RU Test v Sth Africa | 1928 | Port Elizabeth | RL 2nd Test v Australia | 2 Oct 1935 | Auckland | Winger |
27. | George Nepia | RU Test v Ireland | 1924 | Edinburgh | RL 2nd Test v Australia | 14 Aug 1937 | Auckland | Fullback |
28. | Hawea Mataira | RU Test v Australia | 1934 | Sydney | RL Kiwi tour match | 1939 | Britain | Forward |
30. | Jimmy Haig | RU Test v Australia | 1946 | Dunedin | RL Test v England | 20 Dec 1947 | Bradford | Halfback |
31. | Kurt Sherlock | RU All Black tour match | 1985 | Argentina | RL 3rd Test v Australia | 23 Jul 1989 | Auckland | Back |
32. | Frano Botica | RU Test v France | 1986 | Christchurch | RL 1st Test v Australia | 3 Jul 1991 | Melbourne | Fullback |
33. | John Timu | RU 1st Test v Argentina | 1991 | Buenos Aires | RL 1st Test v Australia | 7 Jul 1995 | Sydney | Centre |
34. | Marc Ellis | RU Test v Scotland | 1993 | Edinburgh | RL 1st Test v Great Britain | 9 May 1996 | Auckland | Back |
35. | Craig Innes | RU Test v Wales | 1989 | Cardiff | RL Rest of the World v Australia | 11 Jul 1997 | Brisbane | Back |
36. | Sonny Bill Williams | RL Anzac Test v Australia | 2004 | Newcastle | RU Test v England | 6 Nov 2010 | Twickenham | Centre |
All Golds
The 1907 Professional All Blacks left New Zealand in August 1907 for their ground-breaking tour of Britain via Sydney. The squad contained eight former All Blacks in George Smith, Thomas Cross, William Mackrell, Herbert Turtill, Duncan McGregor, Eric Watkins, Massa Johnston and Edgar Wrigley. These men became New Zealand's first dual-code internationals at the point they first played on the ten-month tour.The three matches in Sydney between 17 and 24 August against professional New South Wales rugby rebels were played under rugby union rules so do not qualify as international rugby league appearances. But full internationals under "Northern Union" rules were played against Wales in Aberdare on 1 Januard 1908 and three Tests against Great Britain in Leeds on 25 January 1907, Chelsea on 8 February 1907 and Cheltenham on 15 February 1908. Three Test matches were played in Australia on the homeward leg before the All Golds arrived home in June 1908 having played 48 games as internationals.
Samoa
Scotland
No. | Player | Int'l Debut | Year | At | Cross Code Debut | Date | At | Position |
1. | Alex Laidlaw | RU Test v Ireland | 1897 | Edinburgh | RL Test Other Nationalities v England | 1905 or 1906 | Bradford or Wigan | Forward |
2. | Roy Kinnear | British Lions v South Africa | 1924 | Durban | RL 1st Test Great Britain v Australia | 5 Oct 1929 | Hull | Centre |
3. | Dave Valentine | RU Five Nations v Ireland | 1947 | Edinburgh | RL 1st Test Great Britain v Australia | 9 Oct 1948 | Leeds | Forward |
4. | David Rose | RU Test v France | 1951 | Colombes | RLWC Great Britain v Australia | 13 Nov 1954 | Paris | Three-quarter |
5. | Alan Tait | RWC v France | 1987 | Christchurch | RLWC Final Great Britain v Australia | 24 Oct 1992 | London | Back |
6. | Andy Craig | RL Test v Wales | 1999 | Glasgow | RU Test v Canada | 15 Jun 2002 | Vancouver | Centre |
South Africa
Tonga
No. | Player | Int'l Debut | Year | At | Cross Code Debut | Date | At | Position |
1. | Asa Amone | Rugby World Cup | 1987 | Ballymore, Brisbane | RLWC | 1995 | Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington | Fly-half |
2. | Tevita Vaikona | RLWC v New Zealand | 1995 | Warrington | RU PNC v Japan | 4 Jun 2006 | Fukuoka | Wing |
3. | Salesi Finau | RLWC | 1995 | Warrington | 1998 | Tonga | Wing | |
4. | Eddie Paea | RLWC vs Samoa | 2008 | Sydney | RU Test vs United States | 8 Jun 2011 | Surrey | Hooker |
5. | Taniela Moa | 2011 RLWC | 2011 | Halfback |
United States
No. | Player | Test debut | Year | At | Cross-code debut | Date | At | Position |
1. | David Niu | RL Test v ? | ? | RU Test v ? | ? | |||
2. | Leonard Peters | RU Test v ? | ? | RL Test v ? | ? | - | ||
3. | Luke Hume | RL Test v ? | ? | RU Test v Canada | 9 Jun 2012 | Kingston |
Wales
With 99, Wales have more than twice the number of dual-code rugby internationals than any other country.No. | Player | Int'l Debut | Year | At | Cross Code Debut | Date | At | Position |
1. | Jack Rhapps | RU Test v England | 1897 | Newport | RL Test Other Nationalities v England | 5 Apr 1904 | Wigan | Forward |
2. | David Jones | RU Test v England | 1902 | London | RL Test v New Zealand All Golds | 1 Jan 1908 | Aberdare | Forward |
3. | Billy O'Neill | RU Test v Scotland | 1904 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 28 Dec 1908 | Broughton | Forward |
4. | William Dowell | RU Test v England | 1907 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 28 Dec 1908 | Broughton | Forward |
5. | Jake Blackmore | RU Test v England | 1909 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 10 Dec 1910 | Coventry | Forward |
6. | Ben Gronow | RU Test v France | 1910 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 10 Dec 1910 | Coventry | Forward |
7. | Ernie Jenkins | RU Test v England | 1910 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 10 Dec 1910 | Coventry | Forward |
8. | Joseph Pugsley | RU Test v Scotland | 1910 | London | RL Test v Australia | 7 Oct 1911 | Ebbw Vale | Forward |
9. | William Evans | RU Test v Ireland | 1911 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 20 Jan 1912 | Oldham | Forward |
10. | Percy Coldrick | RU Test v England | 1911 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 15 Feb 1913 | Plymouth | Forward |
11. | Gus Merry | RU Test v Ireland | 1912 | Belfast | RL Test v England | 15 Feb 1913 | Plymouth | Forward |
12. | William Davies | RU Test v Scotland | 1912 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 14 Apr 1914 | Swansea | Back |
13. | Rees Richards | RU Test v Scotland | 1913 | Inverleith | RL Test v England | 14 Apr 1914 | Swansea | Forward |
14. | Bobby Lloyd | RU Test v Scotland | 1913 | Inverleith | RL Test Great Britain v Australia | 3 Jul 1920 | Sydney | Half-back |
15. | Brinley Williams | RU Test v Scotland | 1920 | Inverleith | RL Test v England | 19 Jan 1921 | Leeds | Back |
16. | Ike Fowler | RU Test v New Zealand Army XV | 1919 | Swansea | RL Test Other Nationalities v England | 5 Feb 1921 | Workington | Back |
17. | Wick Powell | RU Test v England | 1920 | Swansea | RL Test Other Nationalities v England | 5 Feb 1921 | Workington | Back |
18. | Edgar Morgan | RU Test v Ireland | 1920 | Cardiff | RL Test Great Britain v Australia | 1 Oct 1921 | Leeds | Forward |
19. | George Oliver | RU Test v England | 1920 | Swansea | RL Test v Australia | 10 Dec 1921 | Pontypridd | Forward |
20. | Frank Evans | RU Test v Scotland | 1921 | Swansea | RL Test v Australia | 10 Dec 1921 | Pontypridd | Back |
21. | Jerry Shea | RU Test v New Zealand Army XV | 1919 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 11 Dec 1922 | London | Back |
22. | Wilfred Hodder | RU Test v England | 1921 | London | RL Test Wales v England | 11 Dec 1922 | London | Forward |
23. | Dai Edwards | RU Test v England | 1921 | London | RL Test v England | 7 Feb 1923 | Wigan | Forward |
24. | Joe Thompson | RU Test v England | 1923 | London | RL Test v England | 1 Oct 1923 | Huddersfield | Forward |
25. | Johnny Ring | RU Test v England | 1921 | London | RL Test Great Britain v Australia | 23 Jun 1924 | Sydney | Back |
26. | Ambrose Baker | RU Test v Ireland | 1921 | Belfast | RL Test v England | 7 Feb 1925 | Workington | Forward |
27. | Mel Rosser | RU Test v Scotland | 1924 | Inverleith | RL Test v England | 12 Apr 1926 | Pontypridd | Back |
28. | Joseph Jones | RU Test v France | 1924 | Paris | RL Test v England | 12 Apr 1926 | Pontypridd | Back |
29. | Bryn Phillips | RU Test v England | 1925 | London | RL Test v England | 12 Apr 1926 | Pontypridd | Back |
30. | Jack Gore | RU Test v Ireland | 1924 | Cardiff | RL Test v New Zealand | 4 Dec 1926 | Pontypridd | Forward |
31. | David Morgan Jenkins | RU Test v England | 1926 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 26 Apr 1927 | Broughton | Forward |
32. | Emlyn Watkins | RU Test v Scotland | 1926 | Edinburgh | RL Test v England | 6 Apr 1927 | Salford | Forward |
33. | David Jenkins | RU Test v Australia | 1927 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 6 Apr 1927 | Salford | Forward |
34. | Candy Evans | RU Test v England | 1924 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 14 Nov 1928 | Cardiff | Forward |
35. | Edwin Williams | RU Test v New Zealand | 1924 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 14 Nov 1928 | Cardiff | Half-back |
36. | Tommy Rees | RU Test v Ireland | 1926 | Swansea | RL Test Great Britain v Australia | 5 Oct 1929 | Hull | Back |
37. | Billy Williams | RU Test v England | 1927 | London | RL Test Great Britain v Australia | 15 Jan 1930 | Rochdale | Forward |
38. | Gwyn Davies | RU Test v France | 1928 | Paris | RL Test v England | 27 Jan 1932 | Salford | Back |
39. | Trevor 'Ocker' Thomas | RU Test v England | 1930 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 27 Jan 1932 | Salford | Forward |
40. | Norman Fender | RU Test v Ireland | 1930 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 27 Jan 1932 | Salford | Forward |
41. | Dicky Ralph | RU Test v France | 1931 | Swansea | RL Test v Australia | 30 Dec 1933 | Wembley | Half-back |
42. | Iorrie Isaacs | RU Test v England | 1933 | London | RL Test v Australia | 30 Dec 1933 | Wembley | Forward |
43. | Lewis Rees | RU Test v Ireland | 1933 | Belfast | RL Test v France | 1 Jan 1935 | Bordeaux | Forward |
44. | Gomer Hughes | RU Test v England | 1934 | Cardiff | RL Test v France | 1 Jan 1935 | Wigan | Forward |
45. | Con Murphy | RU Test v England | 1935 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 1 Jan 1935 | Bordeaux | Forward |
46. | Bert Day | RU Test v Scotland | 1930 | Edinburgh | RL Test v England | 10 Apr 1935 | Liverpool | Forward |
47. | Tommy Scourfield | RU Test v France | 1930 | Paris | RL Test v England | 10 Apr 1935 | Liverpool | Back |
48. | Jack Morley | RU Test v England | 1929 | London | RL 1st Test Great Britain v Australia | 19 Jun 1936 | Sydney | Back |
49. | Dai Prosser | RU Test v Scotland | 1934 | Murrayfield | RL Test v England | 7 Nov 1936 | Pontypridd | Forward |
50. | Harold Thomas | RU Test v England | 1936 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 5 Nov 1938 | Llanelli | Forward |
51. | Arthur Bassett | RU Test v Ireland | 1934 | Swansea | RL Test v England | 23 Dec 1939 | Odsal | Back |
52. | Syd Williams | RU Test v England | 1939 | London | RL Test v England | 9 Nov 1940 | Oldham | Back |
53. | Eddie Watkins | RU Test v New Zealand | 1935 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 18 Oct 1941 | Bradford | Forward |
54. | Emrys Evans | RU Test v England | 1937 | London | RL Test v England | 10 Mar 1945 | Wigan | Forward |
55. | Idwal Davies | RU Test v England | 1939 | London | RL Test v England | 10 Mar 1945 | Wigan | Back |
56. | Willie Davies | RU Test v Ireland | 1936 | Cardiff | RL Test Great Britain v New Zealand | 1 Aug 1946 | Auckland | Half-back |
57. | George Parsons | RU Test v England | 1947 | Cardiff | RL Test v Australia | 20 Nov 1948 | Swansea | Forward |
58. | Leslie Williams | RU Test v England | 1947 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 22 Oct 1949 | Wigan | Back |
59. | Terence Cook | RU Test v Scotland | 1949 | Edinburgh | RL Test v Other Nationalities | 31 Mar 1951 | Swansea | Back |
60. | Ray Cale | RU Test v England | 1949 | Cardiff | RL Test v Other Nationalities | 1 Dec 1951 | Swansea | Forward |
61. | Lewis Jones | RU Test v England | 1950 | London | RL Test v France | 13 Dec 1953 | Marseilles | Back |
62. | Garfield Owen | RU Test v Ireland | 1955 | Cardiff | RL Test v France | 1 Mar 1959 | Toulouse | Back |
63. | Colin Evans | RU Test v England | 1960 | London | RL Test v England | 17 Feb 1963 | Toulouse | Half-back |
64. | John Mantle | RU Test v England | 1964 | London | RL Test Great Britain v France | 16 Jan 1966 | Perpignan | Forward |
65. | Malcolm Price | RU Test v England | 1959 | Cardiff | RL Test Great Britain v Australia | 21 Oct 1967 | Leeds | Back |
66. | John Warlow | RU Test v England | 1962 | Cardiff | RL Test Great Britain v France | 2 Jun 1968 | Auckland | Forward |
67. | Kel Coslett | RU Test v England | 1962 | London | RL Test v England | 7 Nov 1968 | Salford | Back |
68. | David Watkins | RU Test v England | 1963 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 7 Nov 1968 | Salford | Back |
69. | Terry Price | RU Test v England | 1965 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 7 Nov 1968 | Salford | Back |
70. | Maurice Richards | RU Test v Ireland | 1968 | Lansdowne Road | RL Test v France | 23 Oct 1969 | Salford | Back |
71. | Keith Jarrett | RU Test v England | 1967 | Cardiff | RL Test vs France | 25 Jan 1970 | Perpignan | Back |
72. | Keri Jones | RU Test v New Zealand | 1967 | Cardiff | RL Test Great Britain v New Zealand | 31 Oct 1970 | Swinton | Back |
73. | Roy Mathias | RU Test v France | 1970 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 2 Mar 1975 | Toulouse | Back |
74. | Bobby Wanbon | RU Test v England | 1968 | London | RL Test v England | 10 Jun 1975 | Brisbane | Forward |
75. | Stuart Gallacher | RU Test v France | 1970 | Cardiff | RL Test v New Zealand | 2 Nov 1975 | Swansea | Forward |
76. | John Bevan | RU Test v England | 1971 | Cardiff | RL 1st Test Great Britain v Australia | 15 Jun 1974 | Brisbane | Back |
77. | Glyn Shaw | RU Test v New Zealand | 1972 | Cardiff | RL Test v France | 15 Jan 1978 | Widnes | Forward |
78. | Clive Griffiths | RU Test v England | 1979 | Cardiff | RL Test v France | 26 Jan 1980 | Widnes | Back |
79. | Tom David | RU Test v France | 1973 | Paris | RL match v England | 8 Nov 1981 | Cardiff | Back |
80. | Steve Fenwick | RU Test v France | 1975 | Paris | RL match v England | 8 Nov 1981 | Cardiff | Back |
81. | Paul Ringer | RU Test v New Zealand | 1978 | Cardiff | RL Test v England | 8 Nov 1981 | Cardiff | Forward |
82. | Brynmor Williams | RU Test British Lions v New Zealand | 1977 | Wellington | RL Test v England | 24 Oct 1982 | Cardiff | Half-back |
83. | David Bishop | RU Test v Australia | 1984 | Cardiff | RL Test Great Britain v France | 7 Apr 1990 | Leeds | Half-back |
84. | Jonathan Davies | RU Test v England | 1985 | Cardiff | RL Test Great Britain v Papua New Guinea | 27 May 1990 | Goroka | Centre |
85. | Robert Ackerman | RU Test v New Zealand | 1980 | Cardiff | RL Test v Papua New Guinea | 17 Oct 1991 | Swansea | Back |
86. | Gary Pearce | RU Test v Ireland | 1981 | Cardiff | RL Test v Papua New Guinea | 17 Oct 1991 | Swansea | Half-back |
87. | Paul Moriarty | RU Test v Ireland | 1986 | Dublin | RLWC Great Britain v Papua New Guinea | 9 Nov 1991 | Wigan | Forward |
88. | Anthony Sullivan | RLWC Great Britain v Papua New Guinea | 1991 | Wigan | RU v Argentina | 10 Nov 2001 | Cardiff | Back |
89. | John Devereux | RU Test v England | 1986 | London | RL Test Great Britain v France | 16 Feb 1992 | Perpignan | Wing |
90. | Mark Jones | RU Test v Scotland | 1987 | Edinburgh | RL Test Great Britain v France | 16 Feb 1992 | Perpignan | Forward |
91. | Allan Bateman | RU Test v Scotland | 1990 | Cardiff | RLWC Great Britain v France | 7 Mar 1992 | Hull | Centre |
92. | Richard Webster | RU Test v Australia | 1987 | Rotorua | RL Test v France | 4 Mar 1994 | Cardiff | Forward |
93. | Dai Young | RWC Qtr-final v England | 1987 | Brisbane | RLWC v France | 9 Oct 1995 | Cardiff | Forward |
94. | Adrian Hadley | RU Test v Romania | 1983 | Bucharest | RLWC v France | 9 Oct 1995 | Cardiff | Back |
95. | Rowland Phillips | RU Test v USA | 1987 | Cardiff | RLWC v France | 9 Oct 1995 | Cardiff | Forward |
96. | Scott Gibbs | RU Test v England | 1991 | Cardiff | RLWC v France | 9 Oct 1995 | Cardiff | Back |
97. | Scott Quinnell | RU Test v Canada | 1993 | Cardiff | RLWC v France | 9 Oct 1995 | Cardiff | Forward |
98. | Iestyn Harris | RLWC v France | 1995 | Cardiff | RU v Argentina | 10 Nov 2001 | Cardiff | Back |
99. | Gareth Thomas | RUWC v Japan | 1995 | Bloemfontein | RL Test v Italy | 6 Oct 2010 | Wrexham | Back |
More than one country
Dally MessengerMessenger played for Australia in rugby union, and for both New Zealand and Australia in rugby league. One week after his final Test appearance as a Wallaby, Messenger, who was born in Australia, toured Great Britain at the invitation of the New Zealand All Golds in 1907. He made his international rugby league debut on that tour representing New Zealand. His Australian international Test debut was made in Sydney in Australia's inaugural rugby league Test v the Kiwis on 9 May 1908. He made six further international rugby league appearances for Australia.
Emosi Koloto
Koloto grew up in New Zealand playing rugby union and represented Tonga in the code before switching to league and moving to England. He was called up into the Kiwis in 1991 from the Widnes club and played five tests that year.
John Schuster
Schuster first played rugby union, representing both Samoa and New Zealand. Later he switched to rugby league and captained Western Samoa in two pool games at the 1995 World Cup.
Henry Paul
Paul was born in New Zealand. His senior club rugby league career was played in England but between 1995 and 2001 he regularly returned to New Zealand to make international appearances for the Kiwis. When he switched to union in 2002 he became eligible to represent England by ancestry of his grandfather and he did so in 2002.
Brad Thorn
Thorn was born in Mosgiel, New Zealand. From age eight he played rugby league in Queensland and aged twenty-two he played for Australia during the Super League split year. When the code reunited in 1998 he also played for Australia.
In 2001 he moved to New Zealand and switched to rugby union. He appeared in twelve Tests for New Zealand from 2003. For 2005-06 he returned to the National Rugby League in Australia, winning a premiership with the Brisbane Broncos and playing at state level again. In 2008 he switched to rugby union for a second time and was again selected for the All Blacks.
Michael Horak
Horak was born in South Africa and represented South Africa in rugby league. He switched to rugby union in 1998 moving to England to play with the Leicester Tigers. He qualifies to represent England via his English mother and did so in 2002.
Lesley Vainikolo
Vainikolo was born in Tonga but raised in New Zealand playing rugby league at school. His league club career was played with the Canberra Raiders in Australia and the Bradford Bulls in England. During that period he made twelve national representative appearances for New Zealand.
He took up rugby union with Gloucester Rugby in 2007. He was eligible to play for Tonga by birth, New Zealand by parentage or England by residence. He had previously declined to play for Tonga in the 2007 Rugby World Cup so that he could play for his adopted nation. He made his international rugby union debut for England v Wales in February 2008 and played in five tests that season.
Craig Gower
After a successful eleven year Australian rugby league career from 1996 to 2007 with the Penrith Panthers, during which he made five State of Origin appearances for New South Wales and twenty-three Test appearances for Australia, Gower moved to Europe, switched codes and signed with French rugby union side Bayonne from 2008. He is eligible to play for Italy through his Italian grandfather. He was selected for Italy on their mid-season tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2009.
Shontayne Hape
Hape, a New Zealand Mãori, had a very successful rugby league career in both hemispheres, first with the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL and then with the Bradford Bulls in the Super League. He made his Test debut for New Zealand in the 2004 Tri-Nations, and eventually appeared in 14 Tests for New Zealand. Hape switched codes in 2008, signing with Bath, for whom he still plays. Under IRB rules, he was already eligible to represent England on residency grounds, having lived there for well over the three years required to qualify. Hape made his union Test debut for England in 2010 against Australia.
Maurie Fa'asavalu
Maurie Fa'asavalu is a Samoan rugby union player who formerly played rugby league for St Helens. He was picked in the Great Britain rugby league squad after living in England for 4 years. He also played for England in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
Bill Hardcastle
A New Zealander and an 1897 All Black, Hardcastle journeyed to Sydney in 1899 on hearing that the visiting British rugby union team would be not be travelling to New Zealand. Australian rugby in those days had no residential rules and once he joined Sydney's Glebe RU club he qualified for Australian national selection. He was chosen for Australia in the fourth test of 1899 against Great Britain.
In rugby league he made two Test appearances for Australia and six minor appearances on the 1908 Kangaroo tour.
Va'aiga Tuigamala
Tuigamala was nicknamed 'Inga the Winger' and initially represented New Zealand in rugby union. He then switched codes, joining Wigan in 1993. While playing league he represented Western Samoa at the 1995 World Cup. When rugby union turned professional he returned to his original code. Between 1996 and 2000 he represented Samoa in rugby union.
Lote Tuqiri
Born in Fiji, Tuqiri was a junior Australian rugby league international at age 19 in 1998. When he missed selection for Australia's 2000 Rugby League World Cup squad he opted to play for Fiji and captained the side in their three pool match appearances. He later played four rugby league Tests for Australia in 2001 before his 2003 switch to union and a long international representative career in that code.
Fred Jackson
Jackson toured Australasia with the 1908 Anglo-Welsh Lions. However, during the tour he was accused of professionalism and recalled to England by the Rugby Football Union. Jackson left the touring party but failed to return to England to face the accusations. In 1910 Jackson played rugby league in New Zealand and represented both Auckland and New Zealand against the touring Great Britain side.
First dual-code rugby international
England's Anthony Starks and Wales' Jack Rhapps took the field in the inaugural rugby league international of 5 April 1904 between England and Other Nationalities Starks had made two rugby union Test appearances for England in 1896, and Rhapps had made a single rugby union Test appearance for Wales in 1897, and thus in April 1904 they became the world's first dual rugby code internationals.The first tour matches played by the New Zealand All Golds in Britain in Nov & Dec 1907 would have seen international cross-code debuts by some of the seven touring former All Blacks. At this stage of the tour the New Zealanders were still familiarising themselves with the new Northern Union rules which they had not seen until they arrived in Leeds in October. The first full international of the tour against Wales on New Year's Day 1908 saw confirmed appearances by Mackrell, Turtill, Wrigley, Johnston & Cross for New Zealand and David Jones for Wales. Thus New Zealand's first five dual-code rugby internationals all achieved that feat in the same match.
Other firsts and lasts
- First man to debut in rugby league before debuting in union - Karl Ifwersen Sep 1921.
- Last man to debut in rugby league before debuting in rugby union - Marika Koroibete, October 2013.
- Last man to debut in rugby union before debuting in rugby league - Mirco Bergamasco, October 2016.
- Most recent dual rugby code international - Marika Koroibete, September 2017.
Dual-code internationals who also represented in a third sport