Don Robinson (rugby league) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Don Robinson

Personal information
Full name	Donald Robinson
Born	(1932-06-04)4 June 1932 Castleford, England
Died	27 May 2017(2017-05-27) (aged 84)
Playing information
Position	Centre, Prop, Second-row, Loose forward
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1949–56 Wakefield Trinity 199 76 0 0 228 1956–Mar 64 Leeds 296 63 0 0 189 Mar 1964–64/65 Doncaster 48 3 0 0 9 Total 543 142 0 0 426 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1951–56 Rugby League XIII ≥2 1951–56 Yorkshire 9 1951–56 England 3 1 0 0 3 1954–60 Great Britain 10 0 0 0 0
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% Mar 1964–64 Doncaster 1964 Bramley 1978–79 Bramley Total 0 0 0 0

Donald "Don" Robinson (born 4 June 1932 – died 27 May 2017) was a famous English rugby league player and coach. He played in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Don was a key player for teams like Wakefield Trinity and Leeds. He also proudly represented his country, England and Great Britain. One of his biggest achievements was winning the 1954 Rugby League World Cup with Great Britain. After his playing days, he became a coach in the 1960s and 1970s.

Don Robinson's Rugby Journey

Don Robinson was born in Castleford, England. He passed away at the age of 84. His journey in rugby league began at a young age. He played for several youth clubs before joining professional teams.

Playing for His Country

Don Robinson was a talented player who earned many honours playing for his country.

World Cup Glory

Don was part of the Great Britain squad that won the 1954 Rugby League World Cup. He played in all four matches of the tournament. In the final, Great Britain beat France 16–12 in Paris. Don was even named the man of the match in that important final!

Representing England and Great Britain

Don also played for England several times. He played against teams like France and Other Nationalities. For Great Britain, he played against Australia and New Zealand. In one match against Australia in 1959, he scored the fastest try ever in a Test match. This helped Great Britain win 11–10.

Club Successes

Don Robinson had a long and successful career playing for several clubs.

Championship and Challenge Cup Finals

Don played a big role in major club finals. He helped Leeds win the Championship Final in the 1960–61 season. They beat Warrington 25–10.

He also played in the 1956–57 Challenge Cup Final for Leeds. In that game, Leeds beat Barrow 9–7 at Wembley Stadium. Don even scored a try in that final! What's amazing is that he played with a fractured wrist, which he kept a secret. Doctors created a special cast so he could play.

County Cup Wins

Don also won the Yorkshire County Cup with Wakefield Trinity. In the 1951–52 final, they beat Keighley 17–3. He also played in two other Yorkshire County Cup finals for Leeds.

Club Highlights

Don Robinson started his professional career with Wakefield Trinity. He was one of the youngest forwards to ever play for them. He made his first appearance at just 17 years old. Later, he moved to Leeds in 1956. During the 1957–58 season, he played in every single one of Leeds' 43 matches. This made him the first Leeds player after World War II to play in every game of a season.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Don Robinson became a coach. He coached for Doncaster and Bramley. He shared his knowledge and experience with new generations of rugby league players.