George Cookson

George Cookson (25 March 1874 – 15 March 1950) was an English international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Manchester. Cookson was selected for the British Isles on the 1899 tour of Australia playing in all four Test matches.

George Cookson

Birth name	George Cookson
Date of birth	(1874-03-25)25 March 1874
Date of death	15 March 1950(1950-03-15) (aged 75)
Place of death	Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Rugby union career
Position(s) Half-back Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Manchester Rugby Club () – Barbarian F.C. () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1899 British Isles 4 (0)

Rugby career

At the height of Cookson's rugby career, he was playing his club rugby for Manchester. He also played for Lancashire at county level, and gained a North of England cap in 1898. In 1899 he was approached by Matthew Mullineux to join the British Isles rugby tour of Australia. Cookson played in 18 of the tour matches and all four Test matches against the Australia national team. In the first Test he was partnered at centre with the tour captain, Mullineux, but after the team was defeated, Mullineux dropped himself from the team, bringing in Charlie Adamson from three-quarters to team-up with Cookson for the final three Tests. The selection tactic proved successful with the British winning the remaining contests with the Australian side.

On returning to Britain, Cookson continued to represent Manchester and in 1900 was invited to join British touring team the Barbarians. Despite being a British Isles player and being capped at North of England level, Cookson was never selected to play for the England national team.

Bibliography

• Starmer-Smith, Nigel (1977). The Barbarians. Macdonald & Jane's Publishers. ISBN 0-86007-552-4.