Ray Tabern

{{short description|GB international rugby league & union footballer}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|first = RU

|name = Ray Tabern

|fullname =

|image = File:RAY TABERN RUGBY.jpg

|imagesize =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|10|13|df=y}}

|birth_place = St Helens, Merseyside, England

|death_date =

|death_place =

|height =

|weight =

|ru_position = Hooker

|position = {{rlp|HK}}

|ru_club1 = Leigh RUFC

|ru_year1start =

|ru_year1end =

|ru_appearances1 =

|ru_tries1 =

|ru_goals1 =

|ru_fieldgoals1 =

|ru_points1 =

|ru_club2 = Fylde RFC

|ru_year2start =

|ru_year2end =

|ru_appearances2 =

|ru_tries2 =

|ru_goals2 =

|ru_fieldgoals2 =

|ru_points2 =

|ru_teamA = Lancashire

|ru_yearAstart =

|ru_yearAend =

|ru_appearancesA =

|ru_triesA =

|ru_goalsA =

|ru_fieldgoalsA =

|ru_pointsA =

|club1 = Leigh

|year1start = 1979

|year1end = 87

|appearances1 = 195

|tries1 = 32

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 115

|club2 = Fulham RLFC

|year2start = 1984

|year2end =

|appearances2 = 7

|tries2 = 1

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 4

|club3 = Workington Town

|year3start = 1987

|year3end = 89

|appearances3 =

|tries3 =

|goals3 =

|fieldgoals3 =

|points3 =

|teamA = Great Britain

|yearAstart = 1982

|yearAend =

|appearancesA = 1

|triesA = 0

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 0

|retired = yes

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ray-tabern/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}{{Rugby league records |id=18987 |title=Ray Tabern |access-date=12 March 2024}}

}}

Ray Tabern (13 October 1953) is a rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played representative level rugby union for Lancashire and England under-23's, and at club level for Leigh RUFC and Fylde RFC as a hooker, and representative level rugby league for Great Britain, and at club level for Leigh,{{cite web|url=https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/team_member/tabern-ray|title=Statistics at leighrl.co.uk|publisher=leighrl.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}} Fulham RLFC and Workington Town, as a {{rlp|hk}}.

Background

Ray Tabern's birth was registered in St Helens, Lancashire, England.

Playing career

=Rugby union=

Tabern played rugby union for Leigh RUFC before moving to Fylde RFC, where he was selected to play for Lancashire.{{cite news |last1=McNamara |first1=Jack |title=Why Ray's A Happy Hooker |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004985/19810915/019/0019 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=15 September 1981 |page=19 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}} He was also selected for the England under-23 team's tour to Canada in 1977.{{cite news |last1=Irvine |first1=David |title=Lancashire at strength in France |work=The Guardian |date=16 August 1977 |page=17 |id={{ProQuest|185883369}}}}

=Rugby league=

Tabern switched to rugby league in November 1979, signing for Leigh.{{cite news |title=Leigh snap up Tabern |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004985/19791123/028/0028 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=23 November 1979 |page=28 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}} He played {{rlp|hk}} and was man of the match in Leigh's 8-3 victory over Widnes in the 1981 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1981–82 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 26 September 1981.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

Tabern won a cap as an interchange/substitute while at Leigh in Great Britain's 7-8 defeat by France in the friendly at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, Venice on Saturday 31 July 1982.

In March 1984, Tabern was signed on loan by Fulham RLFC until the end of the season.{{cite news |last1=Fitzpatrick |first1=Paul |title=Myler plan rejected |work=The Guardian |date=8 March 1984 |page=25 |id={{ProQuest|186416675}}}}