Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Les William Boyd
- Nickname(s)
- Gum Leaves
- Born
- Saturday, 17th November, 1956
- Current Age
- 69 years and 134 days
- Place Of Birth
- Nyngan, New South Wales, Australia
Honours & Awards
Based only on data available in the RLP database. This information should be used as a guide only.
- The Ashes
- 1978/1979, 1979, 1982
- Test Series
- New Zealand vs Australia 1980, Australia vs France 1981, Australia vs New Zealand 1982, France vs Australia 1982/83
- Interstate Series
- 1979, 1980, 1981
- City vs Country Firsts
- 1979, 1982
- Premiership Trophy
- 1985/1986
- Preseason Cup
- 1980
- Midweek Cup
- 1977, 1982
Biography
Talented, aggressive second row forward was born in Nyngan and raised in Cootamundra. Boyd toured England with the undefeated Australian Schoolboys in 1972 but it was another four years before he linked with the coach of that tour, Roy Masters, at Wests. Boyd grabbed headlines immediately with his explosive running, which was equally matched by his aggression on the field. The quietly spoken country boy was in constant trouble with both referees and the NSWRL. In 1978, he had a suspension overturned in equity court on the basis of being denied 'natural justice', only to be retried and found guilty of the same charge. After a poor year in 1977 (injuries, suspensions), Boyd was finally able to channel his talents at international level. He toured with the 1978 Kangaroos and proved unstoppable in the final two Tests against Great Britain. After playing against France, he starred in the historic, three-Test win over Great Britain in 1979. While Boyd undoubtedly played his best football under Roy Masters, he shifted to Manly in 1980 on a huge contract and initially his career blossomed. He toured NZ in 1980, played Tests against France (1981) and NZ (1982) before making his second Kangaroo tour. Boyd had no peer as a Test forward in the early 1980s but following Manly's grand final loss to P’matta in 1982, he fell foul of the League's clean-up campaign under Judiciary Chairman Jim Comans. In 1983 he was cited for his tackle on Queensland's Darryl Brohman after a State of Origin clash that left his opponent with a smashed jaw. Boyd was suspended for 12 months (and was sued by Brohman, which was later settled out of court) but when he returned in 1984, he was again suspended for gouging C’bury hooker Billy Johnstone. His 18-month suspension effectively ended his Sydney career having missed a total of 138 weeks up until October 1, 1985. Moving to England, Boyd enjoyed a successful stint at Warrington. He won the Harry Sunderland Trophy as ‘Man of the Match’ in the 1986 championship final and stayed on for four successful seasons despite suffering two broken arm injuries. Boyd looked like ending his career where it began as an Australian schoolboy - back at Cootamundra as captain-coach - but after a stint in Darwin (under former Kangaroo teammate Steve Rogers) in 1991, he left 'Coota' to captain-coach Harden-Murrumburah in 1994.
- ALAN WHITICKER
Playing Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
| Representative Career - International | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests (Senior International Matches) | - | 17 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 88.24% | List | ||||
| The Ashes | 3 | 8 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 87.50% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Australia | - | 36 | 9 | - | - | 27 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 91.67% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Riverina | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Test Series | 7 | 17 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 88.24% | List | ||||
| Representative Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| State of Origin | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Interstate Series | 3 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| City vs Country Firsts | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Club Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) | - | 142 | 38 | - | - | 117 | 87 | 49 | 6 | 61.27% | List | ||||
| NSWRFL/NSWRL Finals | - | 8 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 37.50% | List | ||||
| Preseason Cup | 1 | 13 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 53.85% | List | ||||
| Midweek Cup | 2 | 15 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 73.33% | List | ||||
| Club Career - UK | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| English Championship | - | 61 | 11 | - | - | 44 | 40 | 18 | 3 | 65.57% | List | ||||
| Premiership Trophy | 1 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Challenge Cup | - | 10 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 60.00% | List | ||||
| Regal Trophy | - | 9 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 77.78% | List | ||||
| Lancashire Cup | - | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
| UK Top Division | - | 61 | 11 | - | - | 44 | 40 | 18 | 3 | 65.57% | List | ||||
| Overall | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||||
| First Class | 303 | 75 | - | - | 249 | 235 | 101 | 9 | 77.56% | List | |||||
Test Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1978-82 | 17 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 88.24% | List | ||||
Australia - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSW Firsts | 1979-81 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| NSW City Firsts | 1979 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| NSW | 1981-83 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| NSW Country Firsts | 1983 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Riverina | 1986 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1979-1986 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 63.64% | List | ||||
NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Western Suburbs | NSWRFL 1976 | 22 | 8 | - | - | 24 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Western Suburbs | NSWRFL 1977 | 8 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 25.00% | List | ||||
| Western Suburbs | NSWRFL 1978 | 17 | 7 | - | - | 21 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 64.71% | List | ||||
| Western Suburbs | NSWRFL 1979 | 20 | 7 | - | - | 21 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 60.00% | List | ||||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1980 | 13 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 46.15% | List | ||||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1981 | 21 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 61.90% | List | ||||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1982 | 23 | 8 | - | - | 24 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 78.26% | List | ||||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1983 | 15 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 86.67% | List | ||||
| Manly | NSWRL 1984 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Western Suburbs | 1976-79 | 67 | 24 | - | - | 72 | 36 | 28 | 3 | 53.73% | List | ||||
| Manly | 1980-84 | 75 | 14 | - | - | 45 | 51 | 21 | 3 | 68.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1976-1984 | 142 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 87 | 49 | 6 | 61.27% | List | ||||
English Career - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Warrington | 1985/86 | 33 | 13 | - | - | 52 | 32 | 11 | 1 | 96.97% | List | ||||
| Warrington | 1986/87 | 26 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 23 | 9 | 1 | 88.46% | List | ||||
| Warrington | 1987/88 | 12 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 75.00% | List | ||||
| Warrington | 1988/89 | 15 | - | - | - | - | 10 | 9 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
English Career - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Warrington | 1985-88 | 86 | 20 | - | - | 80 | 57 | 26 | 3 | 66.28% | List | ||||
Contributions:
Greg Fiveash, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Paul Carter, Rugby League Tables, Alan Katzmann, AJ Lucantonio, Steven Russo, Max Turner, Tony McCarron, Derek Farrar, Bill Bates, Tim Costello
Sources:
Match Video, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook (1981-82 to 1999), Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club
Your Say
26 Mar 2012 10:47pm
What an absolute nutter but one of the most explosive forwards ever.Wouldnt last 5 minutes these days but always entertaining
26 Apr 2012 7:38pm
Know the bloke personally, and ya couldn meet ya better bloke. Was a hard man in a hard era.
16 Sep 2012 9:02pm
An extremely talented player who had a very short temper.I loved watching him play for Manly at Brookvale Oval in the 80s. A tough hard running ball player..
15 Sep 2014 2:29pm
The greatest second rower of all time . A true hard man . Todays forwards are pale in comparison.
29 May 2020 2:04am
Loved watching him play against Kurt Sorenson, the youngsters on the terraces at Halliwell Jones would love him if he played for the Wire today. Absolute legend of the game.
17 Jul 2020 10:24pm
Remember this " bull" at Lidcombe Oval on a Sunday arvo in 1978,everyone waited for this bloke to run off the ruck. He was the best second rower of that era. Cannot believe it, it was just like yesterday. I think Roy Masters, had a "human sledge hammer"; and boy, Roy loved this young bloke in his armoury. I think, that Wests side in 1978, was the most "solid"; as they only knew one thing, belt the "opposing" side, into submission, THAT SIMPLE.
Les Boyd, hang your head high. You Sir, are a legend.
9 Aug 2020 9:35am
Boyd was a talented player whose indiscretions, often overshadowed what a great player he was. A strong player who could carry the ball to make vital gains in attack and a solid defender. One of the best forwards of his era.
4 Apr 2021 4:01pm
Loved watching him play at Brookie. I modled my game on him when I played in the juniors for Beacon Hill. What a powerful runner.
6 Jun 2021 6:46pm
With out a doubt the best second row forward from either league or union I seen him play a game of rugby union in the centre’s in his junior years my god how good was he.He is certainly a legend not a villain
5 May 2022 8:35pm
The baby-faced assassin. I molded my running style on him when I played junior league for Beaco Hill in the 70's most dynamic forward ever.
7 Jun 2023 8:54pm
What’ a great player had it all never backed off anybody.the toughest and most skilful player of them all he had it all and no one got on top of him.best in his position of all time.to hard and to good for all those softies who thought they could play.good on you les.all the best great watching you mate
1 Aug 2023 8:49pm
I met Les through a mutual friend of ours, David Howell, both lovely decent men off the field.
Totally different creatures once they laced up the boots and ran onto the field.
l loved the absolute Havoc that Les created when he was playing for Manly
30 Jan 2026 5:32pm
Absolute legend. LOVED watching this bloke turn out for the Wire, absolutely hard as nails and gave 100%. Had the pleasure and honour of meeting the man and he is a totally different beast off the park!
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