Ray Tabern

Ray Tabern (13 October 1953) is a rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played representative level rugby union for Lancashire and England under-23's, and at club level for Leigh RUFC and Fylde RFC as a hooker, and representative level rugby league for Great Britain, and at club level for Leigh,^[3] Fulham RLFC and Workington Town, as a hooker.

Ray Tabern

Personal information
Born	(1953-10-13) 13 October 1953 (age 70) St Helens, Merseyside, England
Playing information
Rugby union
Position	Hooker
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P Leigh RUFC Fylde RFC Total 0 0 0 0 0 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P Lancashire
Rugby league
Position	Hooker
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1979–87 Leigh 195 32 0 0 115 1984 Fulham RLFC 7 1 0 0 4 1987–89 Workington Town Total 202 33 0 0 119 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1982 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0
Source: ^[1]^[2]

Background

Ray Tabern's birth was registered in St Helens, Lancashire, England.

Playing career

Rugby union

Tabern played rugby union for Leigh RUFC before moving to Fylde RFC, where he was selected to play for Lancashire.^[4] He was also selected for the England under-23 team's tour to Canada in 1977.^[5]

Rugby league

Tabern switched to rugby league in November 1979, signing for Leigh.^[6] He played hooker and was man of the match in Leigh's 8-3 victory over Widnes in the 1981 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1981–82 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 26 September 1981.^{[citation needed]}

Tabern won a cap as an interchange/substitute while at Leigh in Great Britain's 7-8 defeat by France in the friendly at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, Venice on Saturday 31 July 1982.^[1]

In March 1984, Tabern was signed on loan by Fulham RLFC until the end of the season.^[7]

Personal life

Ray Tabern's father, Walt Tabern, played rugby league for Leigh.

References

1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. "Player Summary: Ray Tabern". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
3. "Statistics at leighrl.co.uk". leighrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
4. McNamara, Jack (15 September 1981). "Why Ray's A Happy Hooker". Manchester Evening News. p. 19 – via British Newspaper Archive.
5. Irvine, David (16 August 1977). "Lancashire at strength in France". The Guardian. p. 17. ProQuest 185883369.
6. "Leigh snap up Tabern". Manchester Evening News. 23 November 1979. p. 28 – via British Newspaper Archive.
7. Fitzpatrick, Paul (8 March 1984). "Myler plan rejected". The Guardian. p. 25. ProQuest 186416675.

External links

• Statistics at espn.co.uk (RU)