John Anderson

John Anderson was a Scotland international rugby union player. He later was signed by the Huddersfield to play rugby league.

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

A native of Hawick, Anderson played for the Army and the Combined Services side during the Second World War. He later moved on to play for London Scottish.

Provincial career

He played for Scotland Probables against Scotland Possibles in the trial match of 15 December 1945.

International career

He was capped only once for Scotland on 19 January 1946. This was a non-cap match at the time but the SRU gave it full cap status in 2024.

Anderson played for Scotland against the All Blacks touring side, which at the time were designated a New Zealand Army side. The match against Scotland proved the All Blacks only defeat of their tour with Anderson scoring two tries in a 11 - 6 win.

Rugby League career

Professional career

Not surprisingly, after scoring two tries against the All Blacks, the professional sides of England's Rugby League wanted to snap Anderson up in a move to the code of Rugby League. Leeds, Halifax, Oldham and Huddersfield all made moves to sign him. It was billed as 'the biggest capture in post-war history'.

With Anderson in tow, Huddersfield reached that year's Championship final against Wigan on 18 May 1946; Wigan won the match 13 - 4.

Huddersfield did, however, win the 1949 Championship title with Anderson assisting in Huddersfield's last try of the final by Deverey. Huddersfield won the match and the title 13 - 12.

Athletics career

Anderson was a keen sprinter and ran in the Powderhall Sprint.

Military career

On the start of World War 2, Anderson joined the Army. He was a Prisoner of War in German hands for 3 years. The POW camp was in Czechoslovakia.