Mike Stephenson

For those of a similar name, see Michael Stephenson (rugby union), Mike Stevenson (cricketer), and Michael Stephenson (disambiguation).

Mike 'Stevo' Stephenson

Personal information
Born	(1947-01-27) 27 January 1947 Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England
Playing information
Position	Hooker
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1966–73	Dewsbury
1973–78	Penrith Panthers	69	21	0	0	63
	Total	69	21	0	0	63
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1971–72	Great Britain	5	2	0	0	44
Source: Rugby League Project

Michael "Mike" Stephenson, also commonly known as Stevo, (born 27 January 1947 in Dewsbury, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an English former rugby league footballer and current commentator for Sky Sports.

Stevo, the nickname that he is commonly known by on TV and in rugby league circles, played at club level for Dewsbury and Australian side Penrith, and also played representative rugby league for the Yorkshire county team and for Great Britain, with whom he won the 1972 Rugby League World Cup. Stephenson played in the specialist hooker role for the vast majority of his playing career.

Stephenson was responsible for the setting-up of the Rugby League Heritage Centre at the George Hotel, Huddersfield.

Playing career

Stephenson began his professional playing career at his hometown club Dewsbury in 1966, after being signed from local amateur club Shaw Cross RLFC. He went on to make his Great Britain debut in Castleford in 1971 against the touring New Zealand side. His greatest moment in international rugby league was being a member of Great Britain's victorious 1972 World Cup-winning side; Stevo scored a try against Australia in the final.

Stephenson won caps for Great Britain while at Dewsbury in 1971 against New Zealand, in 1972 against France, and in the 1972 World Cup against Australia, France, New Zealand and Australia.

Stephenson's time in the Dewsbury first team coincided with an upturn in the club's fortunes on the pitch, culminating with the team winning the Championship final during the 1972–73 season. Stephenson played Hooker in Dewsbury's 9-36 defeat by Leeds in the 1972 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1972–73 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 7 October 1972. He left Dewsbury after their championship winning season in 1973 to join Australian Rugby League outfit Penrith. He played 69 games for the Panthers between 1974 and 1978, scoring 21 tries. Stevo was also player-coach of the side for a brief, unsuccessful spell. He ended his playing career in 1978 and settled in Sydney.

Broadcasting career

Stevo began his broadcasting career in Australia with brief spells at radio and television stations in Sydney. He first appeared on British airwaves in 1988, when he was invited to co-commentate on the rugby league Ashes series in Australia for BBC Radio 2 with Eddie Hemmings.

In 1990, Stevo joined the new British satellite television broadcaster BSB as a match summariser for its Rugby League coverage. At BSB, he joined up again with Hemmings, who had also been signed up by the broadcaster. The pairing were kept together when BSB and Sky Television merged to form BSkyB in 1991; the combined satellite TV network inherited BSB's rugby league TV contract.

Stevo was a massive supporter of the creation of Super League, the elite northern hemisphere club rugby competition which started in the British spring of 1996.

Eddie & Stevo are still the main presenters and commentators on Sky Sports' Super League coverage, having fronted the channel's rugby league coverage together for 25 years.

Honours

Club

Great Britain

• World Cup: 1972

Dewsbury

• Rugby Football League Championship: 1972-73

Individual

• Harry Sunderland Trophy: 1973

References

Stevo: Looking Back, by Mike Stephenson ISBN 978-1-904091-23-3

External links

• Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
• Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
• Penrith Points
• Playing at Smales pace sank champions - article at yorkshirepost.co.uk
• When Great Britain won the World Cup
• Tracking down the heroes of 1972

Achievements
Preceded by Bill Ashurst	Rugby League Transfer Record Dewsbury to Penrith Panthers 1973-78	Succeeded by Steve Norton