Ernie Wiggs
- October 10, 2014
- 73 years
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About Ernie Wiggs
Ernie Wiggs, 73, New Zealand rugby league player (Auckland, national team).
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Full Biography
|Ernest David Wiggs (1940 or 1941 – 10 October 2014) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand in the 1968 World Cup.
Playing career
Wiggs played for Otahuhu in the Auckland Rugby League competition. An Auckland representative, Wiggs was selected for New Zealand in 1964 for a Test against France at Prop. He was then selected to play Great Britain at Lock in 1966 before being included in the 1968 World Cup squad as a Winger. Wiggs also won the New Zealand Rugby League's player of the year award that year.
Between 1967 and 1970 he won the Painter Rosebowl Trophy four times as the leading points scorer in the Auckland Rugby League competition. Wiggs was also part of the 1969 Auckland side that defeated Australia 15–14. Wiggs again won the trophy in 1973, however by then he was playing for the Mount Albert Lions.[citation needed]
Wiggs later coached both the Otahuhu Leopards and the Mangere East Hawks. In 1978 the Wiggs-coached Hawks made the Fox Memorial grand final, losing to Otahuhu.
Wiggs died in 2014, and he was buried at Waikumete Cemetery.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Wiggs
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 29, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Ernie Wiggs's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what year did Ernest David Wiggs die?
- A.2012
- B.2016
- C.2014correct
- D.2010
Ernest David Wiggs died on 10 October 2014.
Source: biographical summary
2.What was the name of the Auckland rugby league club Ernest David Wiggs played for in 1973?
- A.Auckland Warriors
- B.Otahuhu Leopards
- C.Mount Albert Lionscorrect
- D.Mangere East Hawks
By 1973, Ernest David Wiggs was playing for the Mount Albert Lions.
Source: playing career section
3.Which international rugby league event did Ernest David Wiggs participate in during 1968?
- A.Four Nations
- B.World Cupcorrect
- C.Tri-Nations
- D.Pacific Cup
Ernest David Wiggs represented New Zealand in the 1968 World Cup.
Source: biographical summary
4.What position did Ernest David Wiggs play when representing New Zealand against France in 1964?
- A.Lock
- B.Propcorrect
- C.Fullback
- D.Winger
Ernest David Wiggs was selected for New Zealand in 1964 for a Test against France at Prop.
Source: playing career section
5.Where was Ernest David Wiggs buried?
- A.Mangere Lawn Cemetery
- B.Waikumete Cemeterycorrect
- C.Otahuhu Cemetery
- D.Auckland Memorial Park
Ernest David Wiggs was buried at Waikumete Cemetery following his death in 2014.
Source: playing career section
6.How many times did Ernest David Wiggs win the Painter Rosebowl Trophy between 1967 and 1970?
- A.One
- B.Fourcorrect
- C.Two
- D.Three
Between 1967 and 1970, Ernest David Wiggs won the Painter Rosebowl Trophy four times.
Source: playing career section
7.What position did Ernest David Wiggs play for New Zealand during the 1968 World Cup?
- A.Halfback
- B.Prop
- C.Wingercorrect
- D.Lock
Ernest David Wiggs was included in the 1968 World Cup squad as a Winger.
Source: playing career section
8.Which team did the Mangere East Hawks lose to in the 1978 Fox Memorial grand final under the coaching of Ernest David Wiggs?
- A.Mount Albert Lions
- B.New Zealand National Team
- C.Otahuhucorrect
- D.Auckland City
In 1978, the Wiggs-coached Hawks made the Fox Memorial grand final, losing to Otahuhu.
Source: playing career section
9.What was the score of the match where the 1969 Auckland side defeated Australia?
- A.12–10
- B.20–18
- C.15–14correct
- D.14–12
Ernest David Wiggs was part of the 1969 Auckland side that defeated Australia 15–14.
Source: playing career section
10.What award did Ernest David Wiggs win in 1968?
- A.Top try scorer
- B.Auckland Sportsman of the Year
- C.New Zealand Rugby League's player of the yearcorrect
- D.Fox Memorial Medal
Ernest David Wiggs won the New Zealand Rugby League's player of the year award in 1968.
Source: playing career section
11.Which two teams did Ernest David Wiggs coach during his career?
- A.Mount Albert Lions and Auckland Select
- B.Otahuhu Leopards and Mount Albert Lions
- C.Mangere East Hawks and Auckland Select
- D.Otahuhu Leopards and Mangere East Hawkscorrect
Ernest David Wiggs coached both the Otahuhu Leopards and the Mangere East Hawks.
Source: playing career section
12.What position did Ernest David Wiggs play for New Zealand when playing against Great Britain in 1966?
- A.Prop
- B.Winger
- C.Lockcorrect
- D.Fullback
Ernest David Wiggs was selected to play Great Britain at Lock in 1966.
Source: playing career section
13.For which local rugby league competition was the Painter Rosebowl Trophy awarded?
- A.Auckland Rugby Leaguecorrect
- B.Christchurch Rugby League
- C.National Provincial League
- D.Wellington Rugby League
The Painter Rosebowl Trophy was awarded to the leading points scorer in the Auckland Rugby League competition.
Source: playing career section
14.What was the birth year range given for Ernest David Wiggs?
- A.1940 or 1941correct
- B.1942 or 1943
- C.1944 or 1945
- D.1938 or 1939
Ernest David Wiggs was born in either 1940 or 1941.
Source: biographical summary
15.What team did Ernest David Wiggs play for in the Auckland Rugby League competition besides the Mount Albert Lions?
- A.North Shore Ramblers
- B.Auckland United
- C.Mangere East Hawks
- D.Otahuhucorrect
Ernest David Wiggs played for Otahuhu in the Auckland Rugby League competition.
Source: playing career section
16.In what year did Ernest David Wiggs win the Painter Rosebowl Trophy for the final time mentioned?
- A.1973correct
- B.1970
- C.1972
- D.1971
Ernest David Wiggs again won the trophy in 1973 while playing for the Mount Albert Lions.
Source: playing career section
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