John Mudge (rugby league)

John "Rupert" Mudge (1928–1993) was an Australian rugby league player. He played both rugby codes in Sydney, New South Wales as well as playing rugby league in England. Rupert John Mudge played for the Randwick rugby union club in his junior years before being recruited by English rugby league club, Workington Town, where he was joined by fellow Australian recruit Tony Paskins. While in England, he played at representative level for British Empire, and Other Nationalities.

Mudge was coached by former Great Britain rugby league test captain, Gus Risman. A back-rower, or prop, Rupert Mudge played left-second-row, i.e. number 11, and scored a tryin Workington Town's 18-10 victory over Featherstone Rovers in the 1952 Challenge Cup Final during the 1951–52 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 19 April 1952, in front of a crowd of 72,093.

Three Australian footballers were in the Workington Town side, including Rupert, Tony Paskins, and Bevan Wilson. They played the match in front of Anthony Eden, who was Foreign Minister in the Government and Rupert John Mudge scored the longest ever running try at Wembley, which was the turning point in the match. It was then added to when Aussie team mate Tony Paskins, and George Wilson together scored another try in the final minutes of the game and Workington Town team beat Featherstone and won.

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