WIGAN winger Trevor Lake was a prolific try-scorer for the Central Park side in the sixties who later became a key figure in the formation of a governing body for Rugby League in South Africa.
The former union player from Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), whose death was reported by the Warriors earlier this year, had four years in cherry and white, returning a remarkable record of 132 tries in 140 appearances.
Those matches were between November 1962, when he made his debut in an ITV World of Sport-televised 14-14 home draw with Oldham and October 1966, when the Roughyeds were beaten 16-13 in the Lancashire Cup final at Station Road, Swinton.
In 1964-65, Lake topped the national try chart with 40 in 34 games as Wigan finished second in the table, only to go out in the first round of the 16-team play-offs.
Two of them came at Wembley in the 20-16 victory over Hunslet in that season’s thrilling Challenge Cup final, the 60th anniversary of which is today (Thursday, May 8).
Before crossing the whitewash himself, Lake pushed Welsh winger John Griffiths into touch to deny underdogs Hunslet an early lead.
His 33rd-minute touchdown (worth three points), when converted by Laurie Gilfedder, put player-coach Eric Ashton’s side 12-4 up.
And when Lake took fullback Ray Ashby’s pass, broke down the left and evaded Griffiths’ desperate challenge to dive over at the midway point of the second half, Wigan were 20-9 ahead and then able to hold off another Hunslet fightback.
Early the following season, 1965-66, Lake played for a Commonwealth XIII in the opening game of the New Zealand tour at what is now the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. The Kiwis won 15-7.
Lake played union for Quaggas – an African select team similar to the Barbarians – and had trials for South Africa before joining Wigan.
After leaving the club, he had a spell with Sydney side St George Dragons but knee problems limited him to only eight appearances.
Lake moved to South Africa, becoming a respected businessman, and was the inaugural president of the country’s Rugby League federation in the nineties.
