Len Mason

Leonard Tasman Mason (23 September 1903 – 10 June 1953) was a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s, and 1930s, playing at representative level for New Zealand, Other Nationalities, Dominion XIII, the South Island, South Auckland and Canterbury, and at club level for Wigan, and Keighley, as a Centre, Prop, Hooker, or Second-row.

Representative career

Mason won caps for New Zealand in 1926 against England and Wales, and in 1927 against England, and won caps for Other Nationalities while at Wigan in the 20-27 defeat by England at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Wednesday 20 March 1929, in the 35-19 victory over England at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Monday 7 April 1930, in the 18-31 defeat by England at Knowsley Road on Monday 7 April 1930, and in the 27-34 defeat by England in Workington on Thursday 30 March 1933. Mason was part of the 1926-27 tour of Great Britain that was marred by player discontent.

Championship Final appearances

Mason played Centre, i.e. number 3, in Wigan's 15-3 victory over Salford in the Championship Final during the 1933–34 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 28 April 1934.

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Mason played Right-Second-row, i.e. number 12, in Wigan's 13-2 victory over Dewsbury in the Challenge Cup Final during the 1928–29 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 4 May 1929.

County Cup Final appearances

Mason played Left-Second-row, i.e. number 11 in Wigan's 5-4 victory over Widnes in the 1928 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1928–29 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 24 November 1928.

Notable tour matches

Mason played Left-Second-row, i.e. number 11 in Wigan's 30-27 victory over France at Central Park, Wigan, on Saturday 10 March 1934.

Club career

Mason represented South Auckland as a teenager before briefly playing for Grafton Athletic. Work then took him to Christchurch where he joined the Hornby club in the Canterbury Rugby League competition before moving to England in 1927 to join Wigan. He scored for South Island in the 1926 inter-island match. Mason later joined Keighley and was still a first grade footballer at 39 years of age.

Mason returned to the Waikato and was a Waikato selector in the later 1940s. He died in Hamilton, New Zealand in 1953.