John Atkinson (rugby league)

John Atkinson (born 3 October 1946) is an English rugby union and Rugby League World Cup winning rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

He played club level rugby union for Roundhay RUFC, representative level rugby league for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Leeds, and Carlisle. He played as a Left-Wing.

Atkinson played in four Rugby League World Cups (1968, 1970, 1972 and 1975), scoring six tries in total.

John Atkinson, playing left wing, scored the match-winning try for Leeds against Castleford in a dramatic Championship Final at Odsal Stadium, Bradford, on Saturday, May 24, 1969 as the Loiners triumphed 16-14. He also scored the crucial try in Leeds' 9-5 victory over St. Helens in the 1972 Championship Final at Station Road, Swinton, on Saturday, May 20.

John Atkinson played Left-Wing, i.e. number 5, in Leeds' 11-10 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the 1968 Challenge Cup "Watersplash" Final during the 1967–68 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 11 May 1968, in front of a crowd of 87,100, played Left-Wing in the 7-21 defeat by Leigh in the 1971 Challenge Cup Final during the 1970–71 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 15 May 1971, in front of a crowd of 85,514, played Left-Wing in the 16-13 defeat by St. Helens in the 1972 Challenge Cup Final during the 1971–72 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 13 May 1972, in front of a crowd of 89,495, played Left-Wing and scored a try in the 16-7 victory over Widnes in the 1977 Challenge Cup Final during the 1976–77 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 7 May 1977, in front of a crowd of 80,871, and played Left-Wing, and scored a spectacular try, in the 14-12 victory over St. Helens in the 1978 Challenge Cup Final during the 1977–78 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 13 May 1978, in front of a crowd of 96,000.