THE forthcoming North v South Origin games at youth levels serve as a reminder of the age-old rivalry between Hunslet and Leeds.
Fixtures between the two sides date back almost 140 years, to 14 March 1885 in fact, when Hunslet met Leeds St John’s (the forerunners of Leeds Rhinos).
In recent years, matches have largely centred on the pre-season Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Match, which is played at the South Leeds Stadium and in which Hunslet have generally held sway.
Here’s a snapshot of major matches between the teams:
Saturday 14 March 1885
Hunslet (1 try, 6 minors) beat Leeds St John’s (5 minors) after extra time.
The game was played in the Rugby Union era, at Hunslet’s Woodhouse Hill ground, the club having formed two years earlier at a meeting at the nearby Cemetery (now Parnaby) Tavern.
A 7,000 crowd that included the Lord Mayor of Leeds witnessed a notable win by a side that included founder members Matt Carr and Billy Gilston.
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Saturday 23 April 1892 Yorkshire Cup Final
Hunslet 21 Leeds 0, at Fartown, Huddersfield
Still in the Rugby Union era, the Parksiders (Hunslet had moved to the famous ground four years earlier) registered a comfortable victory over a Loiners outfit that included Joe Lewthwaite, who later switched to the south Leeds side and went on to give magnificent service as chairman until the late 1940s.
Lewthwaite and his teammate Donaldson had, the previous day, fallen into the river Nidd when the Leeds team visited Knaresborough for pre-final relaxation, Donaldson having to be carried back to the club’s hotel in a stupor.
There was no score in the opening period but Hunslet dominated the second period with tries by Walter Goldthorpe, Albert Goldthorpe, Rathmell, Kaye and, with two late touchdowns, James Goldthorpe, who later switched loyalties and became Leeds’ secretary. Ahr’ Albert kicked three goals and Hunslet returned, with T’owd Tin Pot, to Woodhouse Hill, where a big crowd of waiting supporters had whiled away the time by singing popular songs of the day including `Bicycle made for Two’, and `We’ve swept the Seas before Boys’, a resounding refrain from the Crimean War which quickly became Hunslet’s anthem (and which is believed to be the oldest for any football club anywhere on the planet).
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Saturday 7 March 1903
Hunslet 5 Leeds 2 (Challenge Cup, second round)
Eight years into the Northern Union (Rugby League) era, a crowd of 18,000 saw the Parksiders continue their dominance over their neighbours. Whiteley scored Hunslet’s try, Albert Goldthorpe adding the extras, to establish a 5-0 interval lead and that was enough to secure progress, despite Leeds scoring the only points of the second half with a Littlewood penalty.
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Saturday 29 February 1908
Leeds 5 Hunslet 14 (Challenge Cup, first round)
Hunslet, who had already won the Yorkshire Cup (beating Halifax at Headingley in the final) returned to the ground to successfully continue their bid for the All Four Cups `clean sweep’. The Leeds Mercury’s `Flaneur’ had – for the sake of the health of the sport in the city, and not through partisanship – hoped for a Leeds win, the Athletic News reflecting, the following year: “Hunslet and Leeds have met in 29 league and cup matches, and Hunslet have won 20 and Leeds 7.”
A 12,000 crowd witnessed continuing dominance by Hunslet, although Flaneur observed, “the sportsman has a natural leaning towards the underdog”. Those underdogs had gone 5-0 up through Young’s conversion of Thomas’ try but the Parksiders recovered in style through touchdowns by Bill Jukes, Bill `Tubby’ Brookes, Harry Wilson and William Ward, with Albert Goldthorpe kicking a goal.
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Saturday 13 March 1909
Hunslet 15 Leeds 9 (Challenge Cup, second round)
Hunslet’s glorious `All Four Cups’ team attracted 23,000 to Parkside for the visit of a Loiners outfit that remained second-best, and which had to settle for a late try by Desborough, Young adding the last of his three goals. The hosts had posted touchdowns by Fred Farrar, Tom Walsh and Billy Eagers, with Cappleman kicking a conversion and a drop goal and Albert Goldthorpe also landing a drop goal.
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Saturday 30 April 1938 (Championship Final, at Elland Road)
Hunslet 8 Leeds 2
The Rugby Football League wisely bowed to public clamour by switching the final from the designated venue of Belle Vue, Wakefield, to Leeds United’s ground.
That move was rewarded by a 54,000 attendance (then a world record for Rugby League).
Table-toppers Hunslet, who had completed the `double’ over Leeds that season, fell behind to a Ted Tattersfield penalty. But tries by Ernest Winter and Irish winger Jimmy O’Sullivan – off a Winter pass – plus a penalty by fullback and captain Jack Walkington ensured that the Championship Cup returned to Parkside after a 30-year gap.
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Saturday 13 March 1965 (Challenge Cup quarter-final)
Hunslet 7 Leeds 5
The Parksiders confirmed their rating as favourites by continuing their progress to Wembley (where they would lose 20-16 to Wigan in a classic) with a hard-earned win in front of a 13,000 crowd.
Hunslet went 7-0 up through a John Griffiths try and two Billy Langton goals, and that was enough to book a semi-final tile with Wakefield. The Loiners hit back through Ron Cowan, with Trevor Oldroyd adding the conversion, but Leeds’ hopes evaporated when Oldroyd was off-target with a late penalty.
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Tuesday 29 October 1975
New Hunslet 9 Leeds 10 (BBC2 Floodlit Trophy)
Hunslet’s Community Director Phil Hodgson has vivid memories of a match that Leeds won in highly controversial circumstances.
Leeds prevailed through a late `goal’ by John Holmes that many spectators felt had gone wide, their opinion being subsequently verified by video evidence.
Phil says: “I was ball boy, was standing with the touch-judges behind the sticks, and cheered when it went wide. One, though, put his flag up and the other followed, and they rebuked me and the other ball boy for our protests. (I really do have to let these things go 😂).
Hunslet had led through four Bob Gaitley penalties, and a drop goal by Allan Agar. Leeds’ Derek Howard had scored the game’s only try, while Holmes had already kicked two goals and a drop goal.
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Sunday 6 April 1980
New Hunslet 21 Leeds 7 (Division One)
Hunslet registered what remains their sole victory over Leeds – other than in Lazenby Cup or Harry Jepson OBE Memorial fixtures – since the club’s relaunch in 1973 – and they did it in emphatic fashion.
Leeds, who finished fourth in the table, closed second-best to New Hunslet (who, despite the notable victory, fetched up third-from-bottom and were relegated) and were limited to a Dave Heron try and two Willie Oulton goals.
Substitute Dickie James bagged a brace for the home side, winger Ian Nicholson crossed, and centre Mick Parrish (who played and scored in every Hunslet game that season) kicked five goals. Irrepressible scrum-half Tony Dean, meanwhile, landed a couple of drop goals to help keep the Loiners, who had offered what was described as their “most diabolical display of the season” in their place.
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Sunday 13 September 1992
Leeds 28 Hunslet 20 (Yorkshire Cup, round one)
Hunslet pushed the Loiners all the way before succumbing to defeat in a match which had a remarkable aftermath.
Key to the south Leeds outfit’s display was the performance of halfbacks David Brook and James Lowes. And the hosts’ coach Dougie Laughton spotted something in the latter’s contribution that persuaded him to seek Lowes’ transfer, with the specific aim of transforming into a hooker.
Laughton proved to be extremely perceptive, Lowes – who cost the Loiners £30,000 – going on to become unarguably on of the best number 9s in the game, including with Bradford Bulls.
Hunslet missed out despite tries by Andy Bartliff, Paul Beath, Brook and Ian Rose, with Andy Precious landing a couple of goals. Garry Schofield (like Lowes, a product of the Hunslet Parkside junior club) scored a try and two goals for Leeds, Ellery Hanley bagged a brace and other touchdowns went to Paul Dixon, Jim Fallon and Craig Innes.
Good luck to the all the youngsters taking part in this season’s Series. Whether from the North or South, wear those shirts with pride.
