Desmond Henry White was a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s.
13 Facts About Des White
1.
2.
Des White's total for points scored in all matches for the Kiwis is a record 467.
3.
Des White won championships with Auckland's Ponsonby club and his total of 794 points is the all-time club record.
4.
Des White toured Britain with the New Zealand national team in 1951, playing in the first ever televised match of rugby league at Station Road, Swinton against Great Britain and kicking two goals.
5.
Des White later kicked a world record 11 goals against Australia in 1952 when New Zealand won the Test series in Brisbane.
6.
Des White kicked 18 goals in the series, equalling the world record.
7.
Des White underwent surgery and was out of the game for two years, missing the first ever World Cup in 1954.
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Matthew Ridge 8.
Des White scored 132 points in 21 tests, a Kiwi record until overtaken by Matthew Ridge.
9.
Des White was appointed coach of the New Zealand national team in 1961, only spending one season in the position.
10.
Des White was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
11.
In 2007, Des White was named at fullback in the New Zealand Rugby League's team of the century of 1907 to 2007.
12.
Des White became a grocer, owning the New World Papatoetoe supermarket for a number of years.
13.
Des White died at Red Beach on 13 December 2023, at the age of 96.