Roy Francis

Rugby’s Forgotten Black Leader

Tony Collins (De Montfort University)

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Hardback

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English

Bloomsbury Sport
21 October 2025

Biography: sport; Black & Asian studies; Rugby League

The remarkable story of one man’s struggle to overcome racism and revolutionise rugby coaching.

In the 1950s and 1960s one man dominated rugby coaching like no other: Roy Francis. He led teams to championships and Wembley finals, revolutionised the art of coaching and inspired his players to incredible achievements. But even more amazingly for those times, he was a Black man in a white world.

As the illegitimate child of a mixed-race couple who gave him up for adoption, his story recounts his upbringing in a Black family living in the Welsh coalfields, a childhood shaped by memories of the 1919 Welsh race riots and, foremost, his gift for rugby. Aged just seventeen, Roy played for Wigan and, despite facing racism, became the first Black player to play for Great Britain in either rugby codes.

Roy Francis became Hull rugby league club coach in 1951 where he introduced video-analysis, sports psychology and personalised training – revolutionary methods which turned a mediocre team into championship winners. His crowning glory came when his Leeds team triumphed in the famous 1968 ‘Watersplash’ Wembley Cup Final, before he headed Down Under as North Sydney Bears club coach.

Through archives, family members’ accounts and former players’ memories, Roy Francis tells the story of a family’s journey from slavery to sporting success, and of a remarkable man who defied prejudice to reach the pinnacle of rugby as a player, coach and leader.

By: Tony Collins (De Montfort University)
Imprint: Bloomsbury Sport
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 240mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 26mm
Weight: 428g
ISBN: 9781399417952
ISBN 10: 1399417959
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 21 October 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction 1. From the Black Atlantic to Brynmawr: 1919-1936 2. On the Road to and from Wigan Pier: 1936-1939 3. Life During Wartime: 1939-1945 4. The 1946 Lions' Tour and Beyond: 1945-1949 5. The Emergence of the Master Coach: 1949-1956 6. Triumph and Torment: 1956-1963 7. Glory and its Complications: 1963-1968 8. Black Leader in White Australia: 1968-1971 9. The Hard Road from the Top: 1971-1989 Conclusion Acknowledgements Bibliography Index

Tony Collins is Emeritus Professor of History at De Montfort University and a Fellow of the Institute of Sports Humanities. His previous books include Rugby’s Great Split, Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain, A Social History of English Rugby Union and The Oval World, all of which won the Aberdare Prize for Sports History. @collinstony

Reviews for Roy Francis: Rugby’s Forgotten Black Leader

I am grateful to have met [Roy] through the work of Tony Collins, who has so beautifully captured his remarkable life in this book. … this book serves as an important reminder of the immense impact one individual can have on an entire sport. * Jamie Jones-Buchanan, former Leeds and England rugby league player * Tony Collins has retold Roy Francis’s extraordinary tale by breathing new life into it with brilliant reporting and sharp writing. The best biographies illuminate lives and entire eras as they unfold, Roy Francis achieves both. * Lanre Bakare, author of 'We Were There' * Roy Francis: Rugby’s Forgotten Black Leader is a captivating read for anyone interested in the plight of the common man, even though Roy Francis himself was no ordinary man. -- Martin Offiah MBE, Wigan Warriors Ambassador A remarkable story which gets to the heart of race, sport and society. -- Ed Smith, author of 'What Sport Tells Us About Life’ Remarkable * Intouch Rugby * A welcome addition to the Rugby League bookshelves… We all owe Tony Collins a debt of gratitude for this biography * Total Rugby League * majestic * The Guardian *