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| - Former dual-code Australian rugby international and Kangaroos captain Arthur Summons has died at the age of 84, it was announced on Sunday. He played 10 Tests for the Wallabies in the 1950s before switching to rugby league in 1961 to skipper and coach his country. "GLADIATOR GONE: #RugbyLeague has lost one of its all-time legends with the death of Arthur Summons, 84," Australian deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack tweetd on Sunday. "'Stumpy' did great things on national & world stages," he added. Ex-half-back Summons is famously remembered for being in the iconic photograph with rival forward Norm Provan taken following the 1963 NRL Grand Final. The image is titled The Gladiators and depicted in the NRL Premiership Grand Final trophy named in their honour. The pose has Summons, covered from head to toe in mud, looking up at Provan as the two players embrace. "The mud helped make it, we look like statues, and a statue they made from it," Summons said in 2013. "We're epitomised for as long as they play for that trophy. We'll be long gone and they'll still be playing for it because it is rugby league," he added. In 1963 Summons became the first player to lead and coach Australia in a tour to Britain. Summons played domestic league for Wests Magpies and featured seven times for New South Wales. In 2008 he was was named in the list of Australia's 100 greatest players between 1908 and 2007, to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. He was selected for the Wallabies' union trip to Europe in 1957-58 and made his final Test appearances against the British and Irish Lions in 1959. iwd/dj
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