Eric Bardsley

Rick Bardsley

Full name	Eric John Bardsley
Date of birth	1903
Place of birth	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Date of death	1958
Place of death	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
School	Newington College
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Number 8
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1928	Australia	3

Eric [Rick] John Bardsley (1903–1958) was an Australian Rugby Union player and represented for the Wallabies three times.^[1]

Early life

Bardsley attended Newington College (1918–1923) and played Rugby in the 1st XV for three years.^[2]

Rugby career

Bardsley played in the back row and represented Northern Suburbs Rugby Club in 139 1st Grade games. In 1928 he toured New Zealand and played in three Test matches.^[3]

Club controversy

In 1942 Bardsley admitted to sending food parcels to Russia and after his patriotism to Australia was questioned by fellow members of Norths Rugby, he and his brother-in-law, fellow Wallaby Wal Mackney, resigned from the club.^[4]

References

1. Australian Rugby - The Game and the Players (Jack Pollard Syd, 1994) pp 48: Bardsley, Eric John "Rick" (1903 - 1958)
2. Newington College Register of Past Students 1863-1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 9
3. Norths Rugby Australian Representatives Honour Board
4. Australian Rugby - The Game and the Players (Jack Pollard Syd, 1994) pp 315: Mackney, Walter Arthur Reginald (1903 - 1975)