Alf Wood
English rugby union and rugby league footballer
About Alf Wood
Lived 1883 – 1963 (aged 79). Alf Wood was a British rugby league player and rugby union player.
Alfred Ernest Wood (27 November 1883 – 15 February 1963) was an English dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s, 1910s and 1920s. He played representative level rugby union for England, and at club level for Gloucester RFC, as a fullback, and representative level rugby league for Great Britain, and at club level for Oldham, as a .
Background Alf Wood was born in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, and he died aged 79 in Oldham, Lancashire, England.
Playing career Wood won caps for England while at Gloucester RFC in 1908 against France, Wales, and Ireland. Wood played fullback in Oldham's loss to Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1908–09 season. Wood played in Oldham's 3–7 defeat by Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1908–09 season at The Willows, Salford on Saturday 1 May 1909, the 13–7 victory over Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1909–10 season, and the 20–7 victory over Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1910–11 season.
Wood won caps for England while at Oldham in 1911 against Australia, and in 1914 against Wales, and won caps for Great Britain (RL) while at Oldham in 1911–12 against Australia (2 matches), and in 1914 against Australia, and New Zealand. In 1913, both Billy Hall and Dave Holland left Gloucester RFC to join Oldham, following Alf Wood who had made the same journey in 1908. Alf Wood and Dave Holland both played at Oldham until 1921, and Billy Hall played there until 1925. All three men played in Great Britain's "Rorke's Drift" Test match against Australia in 1914, with Alf Wood kicking the four goals that would be the difference in the end. Alf Wood scored 1-try and 15-goals in Great Britain's 101–0 victory over South Australia in the 1914 Great Britain Lions tour match. He was also selected to go on the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Alf Wood's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Alf Wood's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Alf Wood?
English rugby union and rugby league footballer (1883-1963)
When was Alf Wood born?
Alf Wood was born on 27 November 1883 in Wolverhampton.
When did Alf Wood die?
Alf Wood died on 15 February 1963 in Oldham.
What was Alf Wood's occupation?
Alf Wood was a rugby league player and rugby union player.
What nationality was Alf Wood?
Alf Wood was British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Alf Wood. https://biography.guide/alf-wood-rugby-league-player/
MLA: "Alf Wood." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/alf-wood-rugby-league-player/.
Chicago: "Alf Wood." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/alf-wood-rugby-league-player/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:18 UTC