Brian Juliff


Brian "Mad Dog" Juliff is a Welsh former rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played representative level rugby union for Wales 'B', Wales President's XV, East Wales, Glamorgan County RFC, at invitational level for Crawshays RFC, and at club level Mountain Ash RFC, Newport RFC and Pontypridd RFC, as a wing, or centre, and representative rugby league for Wales, and at club level for Widnes, Wakefield Trinity, Wigan, Halifax and Castleford, as a, or. In June 2012 Juliff was appointed as the chairman of Wales Rugby League.

Background

Brian Juliff was born in Mountain Ash, Wales.

Rugby union

Brian Juliff played representative rugby union for Wales 'B', Wales President's XV, East Wales against Argentina scoring 1-try, and against Japan scoring 3-tries, Glamorgan County RFC and Crawshays RFC.

Rugby league

Wakefield Trinity

In early 1978, Juliff had trials with Widnes, and scored a try in a match against Wigan, but turned down an offer to join the club permanently. A few months later, he signed for Wakefield Trinity for an undisclosed fee. Brian Juliff played on the in Wakefield Trinity's 3–12 defeat by Widnes in the 1978–79 Challenge Cup Final during the 1978–79 season at Wembley Stadium, London, on Saturday 5 May 1979, in front of a crowd of a crowd of 94,218.

Wigan

Juliff was signed by Wigan from Wakefield Trinity for £25,000 in 1982.
Juliff appeared as a substitute and scored a try in Wigan's 15–4 victory over Leeds in the 1982–83 John Player Trophy Final during the 1982–83 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Saturday 22 January 1983.
After breaking an arm playing for Wales in 1984, Brian returned to play in the Challenge Cup semi-final for Wigan against Hull Kingston Rovers, scoring a crucial try from the. He played as a second-half substitute in Wigan's 6–19 defeat by Widnes in the 1983–84 Challenge Cup Final during the 1983–84 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 5 May 1984.

Halifax

Juliff was signed by Halifax from Wigan for £6,000 in September 1985, he played in Halifax's victory in the Championship during the 1985–86 season, finishing one point ahead of Wigan. He played in 23-games in all competitions that season, scoring four tries.
He played as a second-half substitute in Halifax's 19–18 victory over St. Helens in the 1986–87 Challenge Cup Final during the 1986–87 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 2 May 1987.
Juliff was the second player ever to represent 3 different teams in the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley.
Juliff was loaned out to Castleford during the 1987–88 season.

International honours

Brian Juliff won caps for Wales while at Wakefield Trinity in 1979 against France, and England, in 1980 against France, and England, in 1981 against France, and England, and while at Wigan in 1982 against Australia, and in 1984 against England.

Honours

Wigan
Halifax

Coaching

Brian was acting head coach in the 42-0 away defeat to Castleford in Jan 1991, stepping up from assistant coach to Allan Agar.