Raper, John (1939-2022), an Australian Rugby League Test player, was one of the greatest Rugby League players of all time. Test matches are competitions between national teams. Raper first played international rugby in 1958, when he played for the Sydney Colts against the United Kingdom. His first Test match was Australia against France in 1959. He played nine Tests against New Zealand and six World Cup matches from 1959 to 1968. He was voted Player of the Year in 1961 and shared the same honor with Reg Gasnier in 1965. He captained the Australian side in the 1968 World Cup against the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and France, and was captain of one Australian Test side in England in 1967. He retired as a player in 1972.
Raper was born on April 12, 1939, in Sydney. He died on Feb. 9, 2022.
