John Atkinson (3 October 1946 – 23 December 2017) was an English rugby union and World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1980s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Roundhay RUFC, representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Leeds and Carlisle, as a , i.e. number 5. Atkinson played in four Rugby League World Cups (1968, 1970, 1972 and 1975), scoring six tries in total. Background John Atkinson was born Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, on 3 October 1946. After leaving school, he joined local rugby union club, Roundhay RUFC. His grandfather George Broughton, and uncle George Broughton Jr., both played rugby league for Leeds. Rugby league career Club career Atkinson was signed by his hometown rugby league club Leeds in May 1965. He made his first team debut in March 1966, scoring two tries against York. On 11 May 1968, he won his first trophy with the club with a 11–10 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the 1968 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium. Atkinson was credited with scoring Leeds' only try during the match after being awarded a controversial penalty try. In the 1968–69 season, Atkinson won the first of seven Yorkshire Cup finals with the club, scoring a try in Leeds' 22–11 victory over Castleford in the 1968 Yorkshire Cup Final at Belle Vue, Wakefield on 19 October 1968. He also won his first league championship with the club, scoring the match-winning try in Leeds' 16–14 victory over Castleford in the Championship Final at Odsal, Bradford, on 24 May 1969. In the 1970–71 season, Atkinson played and scored a try in the 23–7 victory over Featherstone Rovers in the 1970 Yorkshire Cup Final at Odsal, Bradford on 21 November 1970, played in Leeds' 9–5 victory over St Helens in the 1970 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final at Headingley, Leeds on 15 December 1970, and played in the 7–24 defeat by Leigh in the 1971 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley on 15 May 1971. In the 1971–72 season, Atkinson played in the 13–16 defeat by St Helens in the 1972 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley on 13 May 1972, and scored a try in the 9–5 victory over St Helens in the 1972 Championship Final at Station Road, Swinton, on 20 May 1972. In the 1972–73 season,