Born: May 26, 1883 – Auckland
Died: November 14, 1942 – Oldham
Test record: 4 Tests (1907-08) – 1 try (3 points)
Tours: 1907-08 tour of Britain

A star of the seminal 1907-08 ‘All Golds’ tour, Lance Todd would achieve greater fame as a player with Wigan and was immortalised for this contribution to the game in England as an administrator and broadcaster.

Todd was a first five-eighth in rugby union with Suburbs, City and Parnell clubs, representing Auckland in 1905. He accepted a place on the ‘professional’ All Blacks tour and played in the first two of the three matches against NSW – scoring one try at centre and two tries from the wing, respectively – en route to Britain.

All except one of Todd’s 22 appearances in England were at five-eighth. He scored four tries against Merthyr and two against Keighley just three days later.

Meanwhile, Todd was at stand-off for all four Tests against England, scoring a try in the third encounter at Stamford Bridge.

Staying in England after being offered a £400 contract and the captaincy by Wigan, he played 186 games for the club as a highly regarded centre and helped it to a maiden Championship in the 1908-09 season.

Todd finished his career with a short stint at Dewsbury in 1913-14, but his greatest influence came after joining struggling Salford as manager in 1928. Salford was the league’s most successful club of the 1930s under his direction.

He also became BBC Radio’s rugby league commentator from 1933, solidifying his standing in the game.

Tragically, Todd died in a car accident in Oldham in 1942, aged 59, while returning from WWII duty as a commandant to the Salford section of the Home Guard.

Three years later he was honoured by the introduction of the Lance Todd Trophy, awarded to the man of the match in the Challenge Cup final every year since and one of the most cherished individual honours rugby league has to offer.

Todd was inducted into the NZRL Legends of League in 2007.