Joseph Egan (26 March 1919 â 11 November 2012) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, and coached in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain (vice-captain 1950 Great Britain Lions tour) and England and Lancashire, and at club level for Wigan from 1938 to 1950, Oldham (World War II guest) and Leigh, as a , or , and coached at club level for Leigh, Wigan, Widnes, Warrington and Blackpool Borough. Egan is a Wigan Hall of Fame inductee, and was a life member at Wigan, Egan later became coach of Wigan, taking them to Championship success in the 1959âÂÂ60 season.
Joe Egan was born in Wigan, Lancashire, England, and he died aged 93 in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.
During the 1938âÂÂ39 season Joe Egan played at in Wigan's 10âÂÂ7 victory over Salford in the 1938âÂÂ39 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 22 October 1938.
Egan played for a Rugby League XIII against Northern Command XIII at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 21 March 1942. During the 1943âÂÂ44 season Egan played , and scored a drop goal in Wigan's 13âÂÂ9 victory over Dewsbury in the Championship Final first-leg at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 13 May 1944, and played , and scored a try in the 12âÂÂ5 victory over Dewsbury in the Championship Final second-leg at Crown Flatt, Dewsbury on Saturday 20 May 1944.
During the 1945âÂÂ46 season Egan played at in the 3âÂÂ7 defeat by Widnes in the 1945âÂÂ46 Lancashire Cup Final at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 27 October 1945. He also won two Championships with Wigan in the 1945âÂÂ46 season, and the 1946âÂÂ47 season. During the 1946âÂÂ47 season he played in the 9âÂÂ3 victory over Belle Vue Rangers in the 1946âÂÂ47 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 26 October 1946. During the 1947âÂÂ48 season he played in the 10âÂÂ7 victory over Belle Vue Rangers in the 1947âÂÂ48 Lancashire Cup Final at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 1 November 1947. During the 1947âÂÂ48 season Egan played and was captain in Wigan's 8âÂÂ3 victory over Bradford Northern in the 1947âÂÂ48 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 1 May 1948, in front of a crowd of 91,465. He was the first captain to receive the trophy from a reigning monarch, King George VI. On the same day former with Egan on the indomitables tour Frank Whitcombe of Bradford Northern, was the first man to win the Lance Todd trophy on the losing side. During the 1948âÂÂ49 season Egan played at in the 14âÂÂ8 victory over Warrington in the 1948âÂÂ49 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 13 November 1948, and during the 1949âÂÂ50 season he played at in the 20âÂÂ7 victory over Leigh in the 1949âÂÂ50 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 29 October 1949.
Joe Egan played as a as a World War II guest in Oldham's 8âÂÂ11 defeat by Bradford Northern in the 1942âÂÂ43 match at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 16 January 1943.
During the 1951âÂÂ52 season Egan played and was the coach in Leigh's 6âÂÂ14 defeat by Wigan in the 1951âÂÂ52 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 27 October 1951, in front of a crowd of 33,230. During the 1952âÂÂ53 season he played and was the coach in the 22âÂÂ5 victory over St. Helens in the 1952âÂÂ53 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 29 November 1952, in front of a crowd of 34,785.
He accompanied the Great Britain test team as hooker on their tour of Australia in 1946 and 1948. Joe Egan, Frank Whitcombe & Ken Gee formed a formidable front row in the first two test which the Australians feared on the tour to Australia in 1946. He was the last survivor of the 1946 touring team.
Egan remained with Leigh purely as coach for the season after he had retired from playing, and finished 11th in his last season with Leigh. During the 1955âÂÂ56 season Egan was the coach in Leigh's 26âÂÂ9 victory over Widnes in the 1955âÂÂ56 Lancashire Cup Final at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 15 October 1955, in front of a crowd of 26,504.
During the 1957âÂÂ58 season Egan was the coach in Wigan's 13âÂÂ9 victory over Workington Town in the 1957âÂÂ58 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 10 May 1958, in front of a crowd of 66,109. During the 1958âÂÂ59 season he was the coach in the 30âÂÂ13 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1958âÂÂ59 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 9 May 1959, in front of a crowd of 79,811, During the 1960âÂÂ61 season Egan was coach in the 6âÂÂ12 defeat by St. Helens in the 1960âÂÂ61 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 13 May 1961, in front of a crowd of 94,672.
Egan later coached Warrington. During the 1967âÂÂ68 season Egan was the coach in Warrington's 2âÂÂ2 draw with St. Helens in the 1967âÂÂ68 Lancashire Cup Final at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 7 October 1967, and the 10âÂÂ13 defeat by St. Helens in the 1967âÂÂ68 Lancashire Cup Final replay at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 2 December 1967. After a disastrous start to the 1970âÂÂ71 season, Joe Egan decided to stand down, and he was replaced by Peter Harvey.