Alister Atkinson

Alister Atkinson

Personal information
Full name	Alister James Atkinson
Born	26 July 1925 Christchurch, New Zealand
Died	Christchurch, New Zealand
Playing information
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	82 kg (12 st 13 lb)
Rugby union
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1945–1946	Canterbury
Rugby league
Position	Second-row, Loose forward
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1948–1958	Linwood
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1948–1956	Canterbury
1949–1955	South Island
1951–1956	New Zealand	24	4	0	0	12
Source: RLP

Alister James Atkinson (1925-2002) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in the 1954 World Cup. His position of preference was at Loose Forward.

Playing career

Atkinson started his career as a rugby union player and represented the Canterbury Rugby Union in 1945 and 1946.

After switching codes, Atkinson became a Linwood Keas player in the Canterbury Rugby League competition and a Canterbury and South Island representative. Atkinson was a reserve for New Zealand in 1950 and first played for the New Zealand Kiwis in 1951. Atkinson toured Great Britain and France in 1951–52 and 1955–56 and was allocated in Australia in 1952. Overall he played in 71 games for the Kiwis, Pineapples, Oranges and pears including in 24 tests and was the vice captain of the squad in the inaugural World Cup. 23 of his test appearances were consecutive, until he missed the third test against Great Britain in the 1955 series.

Atkinson was also a sprinter, being fast enough to compete on the cash sprinting circuit which existed at that time.

Later years

Atkinson was a member of the Canterbury board of control between 1968 and 1976 and served as a provincial selector and the New Zealand Kiwis manager for the 1974 home series against Great Britain. In 1976 Atkinson chaired the Canterbury board of control.